The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-08-25
WHIPPLE ANECDOTES.
Some of the Bright Sayings of the Great
Essayist and Critic.

Some of the Bright Sayings of the Great
Essayist and Critic.
Many of Mr.. Edwin P. Whipple',
keen sayings have been passed into
general circulation. The phrase in
which he characterized Emerson as "a
cross between Socrates and Sam Slick"
may serve as an example, and it is a
wonderfully clever bit OF mingled satire,
shrewd criticism and winged humor.
Couldn't pleasant essay b@written, "
heard him remark once, :" on copy.
righting ones jokes. You laboriously
elaborate quip or jest, say it once
and then every man who hears it feels
not the slightest conjunction at appro'
priating it and passing it off as his own.
There should be means of legal pro.
lection against such encroachment on
private rights, and | suppose the copy.
right law is the proper thing to do it.
Think of how droil it would sound: 4,
So-and so, having discovered play mp.
on such word, running thus and thus,
10 be led mp to in this and this manner,
do claim the full right, title and so on tc
use sad pun'-and all the rest of the
rigmarole.
DIR. BartoI, in his eulogv, gave q
couple of instances of Mr.. Whipple's
III ckness of repartee. A friend having
asked him what would be his idea of a
public library if he had half a million to
build it with: "If had the half million, "
returned Mr.. Whipple, 81 shouldn't
have the idea In debate which may
have irritated him little, his opponent
at length said roughly: "You have GER
tainly lost your understanding" at
is very evident" Mr.. Whipple retorted
with cool keenness, ''that you have not
found it.
When the Hon. P. 7. Barnnm was
younger than now he was infected with
political aspirat ons, and secured a seat
IN the Legislature of Connecticut His
efforts as an orator were less successful
than his essays in the show business had
been. and the Legislature could not be
made to yield him q hearing. "What
do you suppose is the reason" some one
asked Mr.. Whipple, 'that Mr.. Barnum
could not obtain the ear of the House?'
"Oh, nothing is simpler was the
ready response, "they were afraid he d
exhibit it in a museum
In graver talk Mr.. Whipple was keen,
wise, broad and discriminating. He
had read widely, and he had read with
that appreciation and profit which be-
long only to the finest intellect. He
saw with remarkable clearness the bear.
ings of subject, its relation to other
thoughts and themes, and he constantly
brought out the most richly suggestive
analogies, while he seldom lacked an
instance or an illustration, SO closely to
the point and so aptly told as to he bet
ter than most arguments. And yet,
with all this, he was Il rarely good lis
tener. His modesty and h sklndly gen.
crosby were a beautiful lesson TO more
impatient and lesser men, who could
talk but could not give attention to 9th
ers unless they were forced to it. re-
member one evening when rather
wordy and decidedly young Harvard
student had been taking upon himself
the lion share of the conversation in
the group which had gathered about
Mr. Whipple in the latter's parlor, that
| said impatiently to lovely old lady:
81 must say | wish that young Mr..
- could have been suppressed. l
wanted to hear Mr.. Whipple's views on
that subject" ''But wasn't it iiner,"
she replied, ''to see how splendidly he
can listen? never saw more perfect
exhibition of the spirit of gentleman
in my life. l felt like thanking Mr..
- for bringing him out so nobly."--
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