The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-08-23
Famous Rebukes.

nund Kean was won't to say of him.
that he could see O sneer across
Jury plain, and his career gave
significance to the expression.
ID the sensitive temperament indi-
0d by his hyperbolic saying, and in
As earlier years he had, to greater de-
gree than most other men of whose lives
We have record, suffered from the sings
and arrows of Outrageous fortune.
Nobler than any of the rebukes di.
rected against those who have wounded
his feelings in the days of his poverty
was that which, when fame and fortune
were smiling upon him, he administered
to the Earl of Essex. That nobleman.
who was one of his most ardent admirers
demonstrated with him for being seen
arm in arm with Incledon, the singer,
telling him that it would initiate against
his being received in aristocratic circles.
Kean replied: MY lord, Mr.. Incledon
was my friend in the strictest sense Of the
word, when I had scarcely another friend
in the world; and if should now desert
him in the decline of his popularity or
fall of his fortune, I should little de.
serve the friendship of any mai, and be
quite unworthy the favorable opinion
your lordship has done me to entertain
Of me-"
A. of Edmund Kean 30 OF the brilliant
wit and orator, John Philpot Currsn, it
may be readily believed that his delivery
of Q rebuke was specially effective. Once
when engaged in case that was being
tried before Fitzgibbon, the Irish
chancellor, that funotionary had brought
on to the bench with him large New.
foundland dog, to which he was ostenta.
tiously attentive while the advocate was
addressing an elaborate argument to
him. At critical point of the speech
the Judge turned quite away, and sp-
peared to be wholly engrossed with the
dog. Curran ceased to speak. Go on :,
60, on, Mr.. Curran," exclaimed the
chancellor. "Oh, beg your pardon, ="
sion that your lordships were in con-
rebuke was that with which Curran "set
down" Judge Robinson. The last named
parsonage was the author Of Q number Of
scurrilous pam phlets in favor of the gov
eminent Of the day. As he was not
known to have any other recommends.
ton, it was more than suspected that he
had been raised to the judicial bench
solely in reward for political hackwork.
At Q time when Curran, though rising
into notice, was still poor and strug.
Cling man, he was speaking in the court
over which Robinson presided. Touch.
ing upon some opinion that had been
put forward by the opposing counsel, he
remarked that he had examined all his
books, and could not find a single case
that supported the contention Of the
other side.
"That may be, Mr.. Curran," sneered
Robinson, but suspect your law Ii.
brnry is rather limited" For q moment
Curran eyed the purse proud toady Of
the political powers that were, and then
broke forth: ut is very true, my lord,
that am poor, and this circumstance
has certainly rather curtailed my library.
Ny books are not numerous, but they
are select, and hope have been perused
with proper dispositions. I have pre-.
pared myself for this high profession
rather by the study of a few good
books, than by the composition Of Q
great many bad ones. am not ashamed
Of my poverty. bat should be ashamed
Of my wealth il could stoop to acquire
it by servility and corruption. II rise
not to rank, shall at least be honest,
and should svsr cease to be 80, many
40 example shows me that an ill-acquir-
cd elevation, by making me more con-
spicuous, would only make me the more
universally and notoriously contempti-
ble."
Very neat and characteristic, in the
way OF practical rebukes, WAS that OF
Tallyrand to q faithful but too inquisi.
tive confidential servant, whom he saw
from the window Of his apartment coolly
reading letter intrusted to him to de
liver. On the next day q similar COM
mission was confided to the servant, and
to the second letter was added post
script couchod in the following terms !:
You can send verbal answer by the
bearer. He 10 perfectly we'll acquainted
with the whole affair. having taken the
precsution to read this previous to its de-