New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-13
FRANK BUcKLANDs ECCRNTslCI7zEs
From lfaemfllan,s Maoasine.

FRANK BUCKLANDs ECCENTRICITIES
From AaemiuaHs Magazine
His zeal frequently led him into imprudenceS
which would have told severely on less robust CON-
stitution, aud which perhaps had the effect Of short
to his neck in water, and change his clothes driving
away from the river on the box Of fv. This wa9
an exceptional case but IL was common thing fog
great coat, he never owned railway rug ; he tool
delight in cold. and frequently compared himself
to Polar Rsr which II the neat ana
ecoentriOitiss. Even in winter he word
summer he discarded almost 0'G ali Clothing
Those were very rare occasions on which he wore
a coat at home; His usual dress was q paiI OF
trousers and flannel shirts he deferred putting on
socks and boots TIL be was starting for bis oicet
Even on inspections he generally appeared at break
fast in the same attire and q one occasion no isd
with no other garments on. While he was drivingi4
dogcart to the station he put on his boots, and Is
q deputation Of country gentlemen was awaiting
him, he said with sigh that he pust begin 70
dress. Boots we've In fact bis special aversion. H9
lost no opportunity of Kicking them off his feet!
On one occasion, travelling alone IN railway caI1
rage he fell asleep with bis feet resting on thS
fs cans OK &
reached his destination the boots could not. Of
course, be found. and be had to go with
platelayer examining the permanent way came
upon the boots and reported to the traffic manaseH
tbat be had found pair OF gentleman's boots. but
connected with the railway recollected thPt Mr..
auckland had been seen in the neighborhOOd, andf
knowing his eceentrcites, inferred that the boots
must belong to him. They were accordingly sent to
the Home Office and were at once claimed.
We have said that he rarely wore greatcoat, and
Of %hs e.. nc
warmth One OF bis good stories turned on thisr
He bad been in France. and was
coat stuffed with natural hsE tory specimens Of alf
sorts dead aud alive. Among them was monkey
which was domiclled in large inside breast pocketi
his head aud attracted the attention Of the bookngS
clerk. who Immediately !and very properly said
it's lisa MOI monkey IS a dog TspIred the clerk:
lis a monkey retorted Buckland. and proceeded
the clerk, who insisted on five shlngs for the dog;
ticket to London. Nettled ct this, Buckland
plunged his hand into another pocket and produced
window said. I" Perhaps you call that dog too!M
The clerk inspected the tortoise. ,'Nop said heiI
" we make no charge for them-they're insectao
He could not In the most serious cow rsatop, re-
fran from bis joke and some persons Will recollece
how on one occasion he was descantinGs at formal
meeting. on the advantages which would ensue from
the formation of fishery district You will be
appointed a conseryator, and then yog will imposs,
lie Vs dSS 9pd AZ %Sss psSs ds
BSSsRIsud You had better 6St With p'0
The excuse Of milk boy. on fish being: found id
the mllk-" Please sir, mother forgot to strain the
water twas Of those which did frequent dntyt
He left on one occasion parcel OF Shrinking hsn,
which he had carried about with him. a0d tor
gotten, neatly done up in paper. in q fashiorA1le
N iSs cs o s the s az sSs nS
examined ii.
Throughout his Journeys specimens of every kind.
70 WITH bis ss Or
clothes. The odor of his bag usually increased With
the length OF the Inspection and ON one occasion,
boots of very smart hotel, I" think you had bet.
ter put this bag into the cellar as should not be at
His best things, he used to say himself were writ
ten on the box Of an omnibus or in railway car:
rage. 1.-The Royal Academy without Catalogue,
ct the latter station. He had originally acquired
the art Of writing in railway tram from the late
He though that be had facts at bis disposal which
would have enabled him to answer the great doc
trines which Mr.. Darwin had unfoded: Evolution
e only I've dys
work, he deliberately expressed his disbelief IN IL,
and he used to dispose Of any CONTROVERSY on the
%inser yas brought mp in We" the principles Of
never admit It,"
IL may be doubted whether he ever willingly said
hard word or did hard action. He used to say of
one gentleman, by whom be thought he mad been
seven aiready so that he was not required to for.
give him any more. He could not resist cry Of
distress, particularly if it came from Q woman;
s snt@s' unhappy. 10 One ' nishs waltins from
crying m Street ne 0u She had BEEN
her place that morning as unequal to her duties,
she had no money, and no friends nearer tian Taun-
ton, where her parents lived. Mr.. Buckland took
to nad ss and 5 e
in charge Of the guard OF the train; Ills nature vas
30 simple and generous that be did not even then
seem to realize that he had done an exceptionally
kind action. 49,
A volume might perhaps be filled with an account
Of Mr.. Buckland's eccentriclties. When he was
speak the oysters, he said. overheard tue con-
versation and shut up their shells. More
inanImate objects than oysters, were endowed
shaded himself that inanimate things could
be splteful and he used to say that be would write
q book on their spitefulness. II railway lamp dld
burn properly he would declare s was
q better master. He punished bis portmantean on
one OCCASION by knocking it down. and tho portman-
teau naturally revenged itself by breaking all tho
bottles OF specimens which it contained and empty
ing their contents on his masters SHIRTS. To pro-
vide himself against possible disasters, he used 70
carry with him an armOry OF implements. On Tue
of cigars tour dozen pencils five knives. and three
On his return three weeks alter
ward, he produced one solitary pencil the remnans
cigars were smoked one Thermometer had lost its
temper, and been thrown out Of a window another
had been drowned in the Pentland Firth, and third
had beaten out its brains against the bottom or
. gunboat. No human being could have told the
tate of the pencils.
TIE DUKE OF GONNA UGRTAND TIE LHISH'