Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-04

ABSENCE OF MIND.-The forgetfulness arts
ing from sheer absence of mind is different in
its nature from any other The man may being
good health, and may be the reverse of stupid,
but he is SO absorbed in a particular train of
thought as 10 be nearly oblivious to surrounding
sayings and doings. Sydney Smith cited two
instances of absence of mind which struck his
fancy 81 heard Of clergyman who went Jog
ging along the road till he came TO a turnpike.
What is to payP 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, Il
thought | 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 I will get Sydney
Smith TO meet you | admitted the temptation
he heId out to me, but said was engaged to
meet HIM elsewhere. Another time in
mine, muttering, q don't mind walk
ing with him little way; I'll walk
with him as far as the end Of the street. He
very nearly overset my gravity once in the pull
pit. He was sitting Immediately under me, an
parently very attentive, when suddenly he took
up his stick as if he had been in the house of
commons, and, tapping the ground with ii, cried
out in a low but very audible whisper, Hear,
| hear" An absence Of mind more or less SINH
| lar has often been displayed by men Infatuated
| ~ uGep SIuuys DOlnGAlCnlnO, tue great ltallan
| painter, became so absorbed in his own picture
OF the Martyrdom of st. Andrew that he reved,
! with the hercest passion, soldier who was rep
resented insulting or mocking the saint. Car
acci, who was present. was so struck with Do
| menichino's excited expression of face that he
| atterward adopted it as an impersonation Ofrage.
| Creblllon, the French dlamatst impatiently
said to friend who entered his study, Don't
disturb me; this is moment of exquisite hap.
piness; am going to hang a villainous minis
Ter, and to Danish stupid onel" Isaac DIS
raell says: ut has been told of modern as
tronomer that one summer night when he was
Withdrawing to his chamber, the brightness of
the heavens showed Il phenomenon He passed
the whole night in observing it; and when they
came to him early in tue morning, and Cound
him in the same attitude, he said, like one who
had been collecting his thoughts for a few mn
ments, 1T must be thus; but [ will 90 TO
bed before it is too late,' He had gazcd the
entire night in meditation, and was NOT
aware of it," DR.. Stulely called upon
Sir Isaac Newton, and was told that Sir Isaac
would come to him directly. The waiting was
long and tedious, dinner was brought in, and
Stukely, feeling hungry, sat down and nearly
demolished tempting roast fowl. Newton al
length appeared, and seeing the empty dish
exclaimed, II protest had forgotten that ! had
eaten my dinncrp The Count de Brancas, q
friend of La Bruyere and Rocheloucauld, was
one day reading in his study, when a nurse
brought in little infant; he put down his book
took up the infant and caressed it admiringy