The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-12-21
Absence 0f Mind

L ne IOiSttiuIutSs ARISING rom sneer ap- /
sence of mind is different in its nature
from any other. The man NAV be in good /
health, and may be the reverse of stupid, but /
he is SO absorbed in particular train of ,
thought as to be nearly oblivious to sur
rounding sayings and doings. Sydney
Smith cited two instances of absence of
mind which struck his fancy. q heard of
clergyman who went jogging along the
road till he came to a turnpike; What
is to pay? Pay, Sir, for what? asked
the turnpike-man. why, for my horse
to be sure Your horse, Sir. What horse ?
There is no horse, Sir No horse. God
bless me- said he, suddenly looking down
between his legs. l thought l was on
horseback Lord Dudley was one of the
most absent men | think | ever met in
society. One day he met me in the street
and invited me to meet myself Dine
with me to-day; dine with me, and | will
get Sydney Smith to meet you l admitted
the temptation he held out to me, but SAID,
l was engaged to meet him elsewhere.
Another time in meeting me he put his
arm through mine, muttering, don't
mind walking with him little way III walk
with him as far as the end of the street.
He very nearly oyerset my gravity once in
the pulpit. He was sitting Immediately
under me, apparently very attentive, when
suddenly he took up his stick as if he had
been III the House of Commons, and, tap
I ping the ground with it, cried out in very
low but audible whisper, Hear, hear. y
An absence Of mind more or less similar
has often been displayed by men habituated
to deep study. Domenichino, the great
own picture Of the Martyrdom of Saint
Andrew that he reyiled with the tiercest
| passion, a soldier who was represented in
/ sulting or mocking the saint Caracci, who
/ was present, was so struck with Domeni-
/ chino's excited expression of face that he
afterward adopted it as an impersonation
impatiently said to friend who entered his
study, " Don't disturb me; this is a mo-
ment of exquisite happiness; | am going to
/ hang a villainous minister, and to Danish d
stupid onei " Isaac D Israeli says: sit
has been told of modern astronomer that
one summer night, when he was withdraw
ing to his chamber, the brightness of the
heavens showed Il phenomena. lie passed
the whole night in observing it; and when
they came to him early in the morning and
found him in the same attitude, he said
like one who had been collecting his
thoughts for few moments, 1T must be
thus; but | viii 90 to bed before it is too
meditation, and was not aware of it. DR..
Stukely called upon Sir Isaac Newton, and
was told that Sir Isaac would come to him
directly. The waiting was long and tedi-
GUS, dinner was brought in, and Stukely
feeling hungry, sat down and nearly demol-
ished a tempting roast fowl. Newton at
length appeared and, seeing the empty
dish, exclaimed, 81 protest | had forgotten
that | lad eaten my dinner" The Count
De Drancas, Il friend Of La Bruyenne and
Rochefoucauli, was one day realizing in his
study, when a nurse brought in a little in
FAINT; he pat down his book, took up the
infant and caressed it admiringly. \ friend
came in, and Brancas threw down the baby
on the table, thinking it was q book, not
detecting lis error until Il loud cry an
nounccd it. On another occasion Roche
Brancas said, Good help you, my poor
mani Rochcfoucauld smiled, and was
about to speak, when the other interrupted
him: q told you had nothing for you
there IS no use in your teasing me; why
don't you try to get work? Such lazy
idlers as you make the streets quite disa
greeabe." Rochefoucaulds hearty laugh
at length reused him from his reverie.
Men have been known to exhibit such in
stances of absence of mind as the following:
Taking out watch, looking at it, and then
asking What's o'clock !? going to a
house where friends have lived, and forget
ting that they had removed; going up to
dress for dinner, forgetting the main pur-
pose in view, and getting into bed instead;
taking imaginary pinches of snuff while
talking, forgetting all the time that the box
is empty.