Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-07-13

IN An ABIE AND PLEASANT STYLE
1t is remark of Sir Walter SCOTS thai
for the success OF Jest it is almost essentia
that 1t should seem to be extemporaneous
| If We espy Joke at n distance-nay, II with
out seeing it coming We have the least reason
to suspect that We are travelling toward one
it is astonishing how the perverse obstina
cy of our nature delights TO refuse it cur
rency. This is SCOTS observation as tC
| jokes on the stage. When, as in Dryden
comedies, two persons remain on the scene
tor no other purpose but to say good things
they receive, he says, but little thanks from
an ungrateful audience. All pleasantly
| should of course, rise out OF the occasion,
and he is a poor joker who lets it appear that
he has planned his Joke beforehand. Suspi,
cion is an afterthought when there has been
laughter at the moment. Still suspicion
hangs around the sayer of good things when
men think over his wit. We must always
side with the sentiment hidden in n retort, il
We are to enjoy it.
Coleridge, in addition TO his deeper and
loftier faculties, had this power OF retort at
| tributed to him i'll early life, and, as We
| gather from the history of a particular ride,
could apply it according to the sensibilities
of his opponents. The horse and get-up OF
the rider on this occasion were alike open to
vulgar criticism, and low wag, appreciat-
ing the general effect, asked the poet if he
had met tailor just like himself. "Yes,
was the reply; and he said he had just lost
his goose" After this lowly triumph, his
road brought him within hail of a more dis
tinguished party OF horsemen, one of whom,
a sporting NJ. F., known to have been bribed
by the Ministry, stopped him to inquire the
price of horse and rider. The horse, was
| the fr,1ip Tor tho rtjar
as he is not in Parliament yet, | have not
fixed his price.
A story is told of the late Marquis de
Boissy, who showed the same disregard oi
appearances, attended by the same power OF
holding his own under any guise or disguise.
When presented TO the late Emperor, his
new uniform not being ready, he made his
appearance in an old court costume of his
grandtathers a man of vastly larger physique
than himself. The Emperor received him
kindly, but some of the courtlers grinned.
Prince Murat, son of the unfortunate King
of Naples, could not refrain remark on the
| drollness of his dress Yes" said De Bois.
| sy, ''c'est vrai MonseiGneur. ct 81 tous ceux
qui vienent lei deyaient porter les costumes
de leurs grandperes on en- verrait de bien
| plus dreles encore; the point of course. be-
ing the well-known humble condition of the
Princes own ancestry.
But self assertion under difficulties is not
the noblest field for this weapon OF defense.
Patriotism has stimulated some of its hap
piest effects. Thus the witty Lord Dudley,
upon Vienna lady remarking impudently to
him. What wretched bad French you all
| speak III London was inspired by 1t tC an
| swer. "lt Is true madam, we have not en-
| Joyed the advantage of having the French
| twice in our capital"
| And in the same cause Walter scott treas
ured retort OF his own III a memory which
was not reticent of more intoxicating tri-
umphs. Il am afraid " he said, Mr. Bolton
| (the Birmingham engineer) has not forgotten
the little passage that once took place be-
tween us. We met III public company, and
IN reply to the remark OF some one he said,
That's like an old saying in every corner Of
the world you will find a Scot, II rat, and q
Newcastle grind-stone. This touched my
spirit, and | said, Mr. Bolton, you ought to
have added, and u birmingham Button. There
was laugh at this. and Mr.. Bolton replied,
We make something better in birmingham
than buttons; we make steam engines, sir,
"a pompous rejoinder, which probably help
ed Sir Walter to remeber his share in the en-
counter.
That was not n bad retort of NJ. Van dt
Weyer on diplomatic occasion, though per
haps it hardly comes under the head OF pa
triotism, when Lord Ponsonby, under the IN
structions of Lord Pamerston, was at Brus
sells advocating the imposition of the Prince
of Orange upon the Belgians as their new
King. NJ. Van de Weyer, declaring that th'
people would have nothing to do with Or
angeisni, Lord Ponsomby exclaimed. "Tht
people, the people! are you aware that with
in eight days could have you hanged at t. {
first tree i'll the park by these very people OF
whom you rely" Yes" was the reply. 81
believe that with time and plenty of money
you might; but could have you hanged IL
i've minutes. and hanged gratis. Don't le
us play at that game" Tie two gentlemen
| laughed and shook hands.
Success in this form of fencing is often
relief to human nature under the more irk
some or humiliating duties OF benevolence
Croker quoted an old story of Fenelon
whose sauvity of character and mannel
might possibly deceive people into regarding
him a safe mark OF impertinence. He hat
often teased Richelieu. and Intellectually as i
would seem. for subscriptions TO charitable
undertakings, and one day was telling hin
fiat he had seen his picture "And did yoI
ask it for subscription" said Richelieu
No, i saw there WAS no chance, said Fene
Ion; lit is much like you The biOgrapher
Of saints and Protestant worthless often re
lieye the somewhat oppressive gravity o
| their general tone and matter with these en-
counters of wit, pious and profane, in whicl
for once the sinner looks small and hides Iii
diminished head.
As n social engine the weapon requires
neater management than belongs to ordinar.
skillfulness. In polite hands the reparte
may even induce the illusion so happily de