The Portland daily press., 1879-06-27
Curran's Bonmots.

From Recent Book Of Reminiscences.l
Curran's conversation was singularly bril-
liam. Byron, who only knew him when in the
evening of his life it had lost much of its radi-
ant vvacity thus writes of it: ellis imagina-
ton is beyond human and his humor-it is
difficult to define what is wit,-perfect. He has
80 faces and twice as many voices when he
mimics l never met his equal" Cur
ran, Curran is the man" he writes again, "who
struck me most. Such imagination. There
never was anything like it," And again, 81
have heard that man speak more poetry than
1 have ever seen written, though have seen
him but seldom" We shall endeavor to give
some specimens, some of which have never
seen the light of an April afternoon. Curran
walking in the garden of the late Judge Fletcl.s
er which had been exposed, owing to the wal
falling in; ON the judges observing that his
rows of broccoli were backward, Curran said,
Consider they have been exposed to much
dust and look as if they had been after long
march, (NIarch). A barrister entered the
hall one day with his wig very much awry,
and of which, not at all apprised he was
obliged to endure from every observer some
laughing remark, until, addressing Mr. Cur
ran, he said, 'Do you see anything ridiculous
in this wig?" The answer instantly was
Nothing but the head" Bills of indictment
had been sent up to grand jury in which Mr..
Curran was interested. On one of the jurors,
whose stupidity vexed Curran, coming into
Court to explain why they ignored it, Curran
said, ooh, Just write on the back ignoramus
for self and fellows. 1t will then be true
bill" miniature painter upon his cross ex-
animation by Curran was made to confess that
he had attempted TO put his arm around the
waist of particular lady. ''Then, SIR" said
Curran, II suppose you took the waist (waste)
for common" "No man" said Curran, "but
a weak minded barrister, should be admitted
to the bar who has not an independent prop
erty." MAY 1 ask" said Curran. chow many
acres it takes to make wise-acre?" Curran
was once challenged by barrster named Bur-
rowes, supposed to be in an incurable decline.
When they met, Curran's second came to him
and said, "The second of your antagonist re-
quests, as his principal is in very feeble con-
dition, that he may be allowed to lean against
the milestone where he is standing during the
exchange of Shots" Certainly" said Curran,
with twinkle of his eye," ''provided am
allowed to lean against the next milestone"
Judge Day, very excellent and amiable judge,
once, in the endeavor to bring the assizes to
close, continued trial until near midnight
when Curran sent up slip of paper
Try men by night! My Lord forbear!
Think what the wicked world will say,
Methinks hear the rogues declare
That justice is not done by Day.
Judge Day smiled and adjourned the court.
The judge, a very tall man, was in the habit of
walking with very little man, Sir Arthur
Clarke, who was knight and was called from
keeping baths off Great George street knight
of the Bath and who was married to Lady
Morgans sister "There goes" said the wit
seeing them, "the longest day and the shortest
night (knight.) Curran and the celebrated
Dublin tobacconist, Lundy Foot, whose name
was worth a snnff, were great friends, and
Foot one day asking him for a motto for his
his coach, Certainly said Curran, 81 give
you good Latin one 'Quid rides" Curran
died in London in October, 1917, and was
bnried in Paddington, where his remains rested
until 1884, when they were removed to the
land he loved so well and deposited temporarily
in the mausoleum at Lyons in the county of
Kildare, the seat of his friend and client,
Lord Clancurry, until his monument of gram
ite at Glasnevtn cemetery, near Dublin, was
completed Beneath it, built on the model of
the tomb of Scipio, he now sleeps, with the
simple but strong word above him-Curran.