Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-12-17
A Cluster of Anecdotes.

| The last chapter of Planche's "Collec-
tions," in London Society, contains the
following: .fF a#
| Hooks fame as an inlprOUiSdtOre is a
matter of social history +; but cannot re-
| frain from giving one instance of his pow
er which is as creditable to his heart as his
| head. There had been large party at the
house of some mutual friends of ours and
Hooks neighbors at Fulham. Itwas late,
and many still remained, and before sep
arating another song was requested ofhim.
| He was weary, and really suffering but
gOod-naturedly consented on condition
that somebody would suggest subject.
No one volunteering, he said 'Well, /
think the most proper subject at this hour
would be Goodnight composed with
his usual facility, but lacking the fun and
briIliancy which had characterized his
former illusions. Some oddity of express
sion, however, in the middle of one verse
elected ringing laugh from afine, hand
some boy, son of Captain the Hon. Mon
tague Sopford, who was staying with his
parents in the house, and who had plant
ed himself close to the piano.
Hook stopped short, looked at him adj
miringly for an instant, then, completing
the verse, added, with an intensity ofex-
preston | can never forget:
"You Taught you are quite right,
For yours is the dawn of the morning;
And God send you good night %
The effect was electrical, and brought
tears into the eyes of more than one of the
company, while cheer upon cheer arose in
recognition of that charming and touch
ing burst of feeling.
THACKERAY.
My acquaintance with Thackeray COM
1,fO ha f0ir1 OA
Garrick,n and while l was the guest of
his cousin, Captain Thomas James Thack-
cray, in the Rue de Faubourg st. Honore,
during one of my many visits to Paris.
He was at that time slim young man,
rather taciturn, and not displaying any
particular love or talent for literature.
Drawing appeared to be his favOrite
amusement; and he often sat by my side
while | was reading or writing, co ering
any scray of paper lying about with the
most spirited sketches and amusing carl
catures. / have one of Charles TX, firing
at the Huguenot out of the windows of
the Louvre, which he dashed off in a few
minutes beside me on the blank portion
of the yellow paper cover of French
drama. A member of "The Garrick,"
who was especially unpopular with the
majority of the members, was literally
drdwn out of the club by Thackeray. His
figure, being very peculiar, was sketched
in pen and ink by his implacable
prosecutor. On every pad on the
writing tables, or whatever paper he
could venture to approbiate, he represented
him in the most ridiculous and derogatory
situation that could be imagined, always
with his back toward you, but unmistak-
able. His victim, it must be admitted,
bore the dissertation of his ''lively effigies"
with great equanimity for q considerable
period but at length one very strong
perhaps too strong example of the artists
graphic and satirical abilities, combined
with the conviction that he was generally
Objectionable, induced him to retire from
the club, and leave the pungent pen of
Michael Angelo Titmarsh to punish more
serious offenders than bores and toadies. -
ROGERS. ... f.4a
Rogers had the reputation of being very
ill-natured, and many instances have been
given to me by others. am bound to de-
clare that during all the time / knew him
1 never heard him say really ill-natured
thing of any one; but he by no means de-
MED the accusation. "When Twas young"