The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-05-08
Presence of Mind,

! Presence of Mind.
1 or all the enviable gifts of nature
one OF the most valuable, and Quit,
the most useful to its owner for tn,
offensive and defensive purposes o
general society, is that called pres
ence of mind. Not that vulgar pres
ence of mind which enables man te
pick up a shell on the point of ex
plosion, and throw tito point where
it may ignite harmlessly;. not even
tina. rare duality which suggested to
the celebrated hero whose hat was
blown from a railway carriage the
magnificent expedient of throwing
his hat case, with name and address
after it, but the bright cutting. yer.
bal presence of mind which, while i,
enables man to make butts of 9th.
er people at his pleasure, saves him
from ever becoming himself butt
This quality is closely allied 10 wit,
from which it is nevertheless to be
distinguished, An example will
show this A Frenchlnsn was loud
ly proclaiming scientific theory
Those present, who were acquainted
with the subject, let him run on for
some time, and then pointed out that
his theory would be ingenious but for
the circumstance that the facts upon
which he grounded it were utterly
untrue. An Englishman would have
been extinguisbed for the evening.
The Frenchnan shrugged his should
ers. "Eh bein," he said calmly,
"dites moi done les fats, atm que je
les -erplique"
Our brilliant neighbors, who pos
sess so large a-share of intellectual
readiness, have given a name to its
precise opposite, FEsprit de rescalier
staircase wit, so called from the
unspoken good things that are sup
posed always to occur to a preacher
when he descends his pulpit stairs
after dull discourse. We have
most of us been visited by such H.
timed Examinations. 81 do assure
you" says Brown to Jones, iii he
had not got up the very moment he
did, it would have been the worst for
him." 81 have not the least doubt
of it," says Jones, who knows that
Brown never spoke clever word in
his life and never will. "The dog
cart unfortunately started just as l
was on the point Of" etc, ETC., says
Jones, in his turn, to Robinson
Who has not list in his mind of the
retorts he might have made, the
snubs he might have administered,
the castigations he might have inflict-
ed with his tongue, if only his antag-
onists had been good enough to al
low him a few moments for refec-
ton? We cherish such recollections
with a sort of melancholy pride
What then mnst be the feelings Of
that noble being who not only thinks
of his repartees day after the fair,
but has actually the sagacity to COM
pose them, and the audacity to bring
them out, in the very nick of time i?
We envy the sensations of that brew
er whom Beau Brummel rashly at
tempted to patronage 81 always
say, MIR. Smith, remarked the bean
is the best in London" "Ah, thank
you. Mr.. Brummel," returned the
brewer, quite unabashed, -"rm sure ]
wish every hlackguard in London
would say the same" go.
Presence OF mind seems to come
natural to an Irishman, and this leads
us to fear that it may have some al
finity with that less admirable quail
ty which We dignity by the name of
'.brass." Sir Walter Scott, on one
occasion, having no smaller coin.
flung shilling to the lad who was
his horse. .sThere, Pat,
that's too much, you'll owe me SIX
pence out of it!' "May your honor
live till 1 pay you" instantly ex-
the delighted recipient
Mathews, the father of the
present distinguished comedian, used
to tell story of his landing in Ire
land, and being Immediately accost-
ed by porter. "Sure it's glad we
are to see you among us, Mr. Math
ews. It's myself IL be proud to car
ry your honor's luggage" "Why.
what can you know about me?"-
"Och, haven't we all heard of your
honor, and an honor your coming is
to ireland, Mr.. Mathews" Immense
ly gratified to find that his reputation
was widely spread, Mathews gave the
porter double his fee. "And now,
my FRIEND" said, he on arriving at
the hotel, "tell me truly where you
to hear of me before p
Faith, your honor" said the man,
poeketing his we'll earned gratuity
with grin, sI'll not decave ye--
read yer honor's name on your
portmanteau."
Presence-of mind can hardly be ac-
luired. Women occasionally attain
to faint reflection of it in light,
frothy chaff; but they are frequently
by their own sex, and frown-
ed down by their elders; and it is
alike Incompatible with the blushing
Of a young English.
man and the dignilied stolidity of an
old one. 1t consists, perhaps, in
iudicious infusion of self cOnceit,
mixed with a little Yankee "smart-
ness,' favored by dash of wit as
sparkling as the bubbles in cham
pagne, and with just grain of salt
to keep it sweet; an excellent moral
plat, provided it be not made too
The Frenchman has it.
the American is capable of it, the
Irishman overfiows with it; but the
good hearted, sturdy, bashful John
Bull, though abounding in a sense of
humor, can no more bring his honest
wits to bear in hurry, than he
could bring his stalwart limbs at al
notice to rival Leotard's on
the trapeze at the Alhambra.-Echoes
from the Clubs.
Four boys, the oldest and leader
named George Briggs, being only
fourteen years of age, broke into the
engine house of the railroad at Free
hold, New Jersey, a few nights ago,
fired up locomotive, and started
for an excursion along the road
'Thav ran IL shout eleven miles where
the water gave out and the boys left.