Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-12-29

Absence of Mind.

uOSenct Vi LlliiQ 10 AZ 80 H"fe'N
from any other. The man may be good
in health, and may be the reverse OF stu
pld, but he is so absorbed in a particular
train of thought as to be nearly obllvi-
Gus to surrounding sayings and dongs'
Sidney Smith cited two instances OF alb
senee of mind which struck his fancy,
II heard of clergyman who went jog
ging along the road till he came to
turnpike "What is to payg' PAY. sir,
for what?" asked the turnpike man.
"Why, for my horse to esure." "Your
horse, sir what horse? There is no
horse, SIR" mo horse. God bless me. "
said he suddenly looking down between
his legs, 81 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, and
| will get Sidney Smith to meet you"
| admitted the temptation he held out
to me, but said | was engaged to meet
him elsewhere. Another time in meet
ing me he put his arm through mine
muttering, II don't mind walking 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
pulpit. He was sitting Immediately un-
der me apparently very attentive, when
suddenly he took up his stick as if he
had been in the House Of Commons, and
tapping the ground with it, cried out in
low but very audible whisper, "Hear,
hear" An absence of mind more or
less similar has often been displayed by
men habituated to deep study. Domen-
chino, the great Italian painter became
so absorbed by his own picture of the
Martyrdom of Saint Andrew that he re-
viled, with the fercest passion, soldier
who was represented insulting or mock
ing the saint. Caracci, who was present,
was so struck with Domenchino's excit-
ed expression of face that he afterward
adopted it as an impersonation of rage.
Crebillion, the French dramatist, impa-
t;ently said to friend who entered his
study; Don't disturb me this is mo-
ment Of exquisite happiness; | am going
10 ~. n ell 10 ,e,ar NJ "a ka.
ish stupid onel" Isaac D'Israeli says:
1t has been told of modern astronomer
that one summer night, when he was with
drawing to his chamber, the brightness
of the heavens showed phenomena.
He passed the whole night in observing
it; and when they came to him in the
morning and found him in the same atti-
tude, he said, like one who had been col
lecting his thoughts for few moments,
sit must DE thus, but will go to bed be-
fore it is too late" He had gazed the en-
tire night in meditation, and was not
aware Of it. DR.. Stukely called upon
Sir Isaac Newton, and was told that Sir
Isaac would come 10 him directly. The
waiting was long and tedious, dinner was
brought in. and Stukely feeling hungry
sat down and nearly demolished tempt
ing roast fowl. Newton at length APP
peared, and seeing the empty dish, ex-
claimed Il protest had forgotten that
had eaten my dinner p The Count
De Brancas, friend of La Bruyenne
and Rochefoucauld, was one day reading
in his study, when nurse brought in a
little infant; he put down his book, took
up the infant, and caressed it admiring.
ly. A friend came in, and Brancas
threw down the baby on the table, think.
ing it was book, not detecting his error
until loud cry announced it. On an
other occasion Rochefoucauld crossed the
street to greet him Brancas said, "God
help you my poor man 2" Rochefoucauld
smiled and was about to speak, when the
other interrupted him: Il told you tha
had nothing for you; there is no us,
in your teasing me; why don't you try
to get work? Such lazy idlers as yot
make the street quite disagreeable.
Rochefoucauld's hearty laugh at length
aroused him from his reverie. Men hav,
been known to exhibit such instances o
absence of mind as the following: TAX
ing out watch, looking at it, and thel
asking "What o'clock p going to hous,
where friends have lived, and forgettin,
that they had removed going up to dres
for dinner, forgetting the main purpos
in view, and getting into bed instead
taking imaginary pinches of snuff Will
talking, forgetting all the time that th,
, box is empty.
BEECHER ON Hours OF LABoR.-Ir
one of his last Sunday sermons Henri,
Ward Beecher said: