At one of the meetings of a literary club a dish of peas was brought in, become almost grey with age. "You ought to carry these peas to Kensington," said one of the party. "Why?" asked another. "Because it's the way to Turn 'em Green."

Goldsmith hearing this is delighted and made a note of the joke. The next evening, dining out, he was pleased to find a dish of yellow peas on the table. "These ought to be sent to Kensington," he said. "Why?" he was asked. "Because that's the way to make them green," he replied.