The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-01-23
WITS OF THE PAST.
Famous EngIishmen Who Said Some Very
Sharp and Pat Things.

WI y VT dETC 9ASls
Famous EngIlshmen Who Said Some Very
Sharp and Pat Things.
The late Mr. Alexander, the emi-
nant architect, was under cross-exam-
ination at Maidstone by Sergeant,
afterward Baron, Garrow, who wished
to detract from the weight OF his tes-
timony, and, after asking him what
was his name, proceeded: "You are a
builder, I believer" mo, sir, l am
not builder; I am an architect. :"
'They are much the same, I supposed"
II beg your pardon, sir; can not
admit that; I consider them to be to-
tally different" 80, indeed! per-
haps you will state wherein
this great difference exists?" IAN
architect, sir" replied Mr.. Alexan-
der, "conceives the design, prepares
the plln, draws out the specifications
in short, supplies the mind; the
builder is merely the brioklayer or the
carpenter. The builder, in fact, is the
machine; the architect the power that
puts the machine together and sets it
going" 20, very we'll, Mr.. Architect,
that will do. And now, after your very
ingenious distinction without a differ
ence, perhaps you can inform the court
who was the architect of the Tower Of
Babel?" The reply for promptness
and wit is not to be rivaled in the
whole history of rejoinder: ''There was
no architect, sir, and hence the con-
fusion"
One evening at Carlton House the
Prince Regent observed the author Of
THE Heir-at-Law" "Why. Colman,
you are older than I am" George re-
Piled: "Oh, no, sir; l could not have
taken the liberty of coming into the
world before your Royal Highness.
When subscription was proposed
for Fox and some one was observing
that it would require some delicacyand
wondering ho. Fox would take it, Sell
wyn said: ''Take it9 Why quarterly,
to be sure.''
TO all letters soliciting his subscrip-
tion to any thing, Erskine has a regu-
lar form of reply, viz: "Sir, I feel
much honored by your application to
me and I beg to subscribe''-here the
reader had to turn over the leaf-"my-
self your very cbedient servant" etc.
"My Lord" said DR.. Parr to Erskine,
whose conversation had delighted him,
should you die first I mean to write
your epitaph." CDR. Parr," was the
reply, lit is a temptation to commit
suicide"
One OF Curran's friends, a notorious
and lucky gambler, getting entangled
in conversation with him, gradually
lost his temper, and at last said, with
great vehemence: mo man, sir. shall
trife with me with impunity." Curran
corrected him by saying: PLAY with
you, you mean. u
An old lady residing in one of the
charming villas near Tours, observing
that her watch had stopped, tola her
maid to see what o'clock it was on the
sun-dial in the garden. In few min
utes Mile. Nicole returned, quite out
OF breath and carrying something
heavy in her apron. 'Ma fol,
madame" said she, II can't make out
what it says, SO 7 have brought it here,
that madame may look at it herself. "
Bushe, the Irish Chief Baron, made
this impromptu verse upon two agita-
tors who refused to fight duels, one on
account OF his affection for his wife
and the other because of his love for
his daughter:
TWO heroes Of Erin, abhorent Of slaughter,
Improved on the Hebrew command:
One honored his wife and the other his daughter,
That his days might be long in the land.
DR.. Croly said very smart things
and with surprising readiness. At his
table one day when one OF the guests
inquired the name Of g pyramidal dish
of barley-sugar, some one replied: "a
pyramid a Macedoine.' "For what
use?" rejoined the other. ITO give q
Philip to the appetite, " said Croly.
At the breaking up of fashionable
party, one Of the company said he was
about to drop" in at Lady Blessing
toms; whereupon young gentleman,
perfect stranger to the speaker, very
modestly said: 30, then, you can take
me with you; I want very much to
know her, and you can introduce me-"
While the other was standing agnast
at the impudence Of the proposal and
muttering something about being but
a slight acquaintance himself, ETC.,
Sydney Smith observed: pray oblige
your young friend; you can do it easily
enough by introducing him in ca
pacity very desirable at this close sea-
son OF the year-say you are bringing
with you the cool Of the evening"
London Society Times.
Indian Mounds in Iowa.