The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-04-13
Compliments.
A Selection of Those That Have
Passed Into History

| pearance after the sermon the old divine
went to the probationer and was going to
shake hands with him. Anticipating
nothing short of high-fown praise the
/ young man exclaimed
MY good sir, no compliments no com
pliments, beg.v
"Na, IA" replied the parson, "nowA-
days I'm glad o anybody"
How far this decidedly left-handed
compliment fell short Of the recipients
anticipation he alone could tell, but his
feelings must have been somewhat sim
liar to those Of that tedious orator, who,
having been in vain told by Henry ",
OF France, that he would be obliged to
him if he would make his flattery Is
brief as possible, was at length crushed
by the King rising and saying
'You must be kind enough to say the
rest to u. Gunlaume" the Court fool.
In the worlds history compliments
have oftentimes played an important
part, sovereigns, statesmen, esuriers
scholars and all others Of the great hu-
man family disdaining not the use Of
flattering speech to gain their ends.
No one knew better the power possess
ed BY a really polished compliment than
Sheridan, and on innumerabIe occasions
during thatrather stormy theatrical man
agement Of his did he extricate himself
from a difficulty by means Of one.
4 good instance is the following:
An English nobleman, who, after the
manner Of other Of his peers, had marri-
ed a beautiful actress, once applied with
much dignity in the green-rOom to Mr..
Sheridan for the arrears Of her salary
and vowed he would not stir till they /
were paid. "AIy dear lord" said the |
manager, "this is too bad |
YOU have taken from Us the brightest |
level in the world and now you quarrel
with Us for the little dust she has LEFT be-
bind her" Tire nobleman Immediately
burst cut laughing and over bottle Of
wine the debt was paid.
OF famous compliments paid to the fair
sex the supply is so large and dazzling
that it is & matter of no small difficulty
to pick out the brightest gems; but if
the following one was unlocked for it
deserves a place amOny the
best. Fontenetle, when 90 years old, I
passed before Nine. Helyetins with OUT
perceiving her.
'Ah,' said the lady, that is your galls-
.yer looking at me -
@IfI had looked al you madame re-
,lied the.old beau, 81 never eoald have
passed you at all"
As neat a one was uttered by General
Romaine. Meeting Lady De Brientz,
whom he had known and admired in
he Ioveliness Of her youth, he COM
nenced complimenting her.
sYou forget that l sm an old woman"
,he said at length.
Madame" returned the gallant soldier
when our eyes are dszzled by diamond
I never occurs to Us to ask a mineralo-
gist for its history"
Different from this was the reply Of a
gentleman once who was one day compli-
nenting Nine, Denis on the manner in
which she played the character Of
Ygaire.
aBut." objected the lady, @an actress,
% play the party well, should be young
and beautiful"
4Oh. no, exclaimed the candid eulOgist
you are a proof to the contrary"
1t is an old reproach against OTientals
hat they are unable to say pretty things
10 ladies; but daughter Of Louis XIV
The Princess de Cont, inspired Moorish
Ambassador with as gracefully turned a
compliment as can be imagined. She
had rallied against the Mohammedan
custom Of polygamy when the Moor thus
defended the practice
Madame" he said, "a plurality Of
wives is allowed among US, because IN
our country We must seek in several
women the charming qualities which are
here 10 be found in one"
The Poet Moore, who never let an oPPor-
tuniiy slip ofcomplineting the fair sex,
was in the present stance hardly kind
10 the husband. Being one day in the
company of a beautiful woman who wore
on her bosom a miniature likeness Of her
spouse. who was the reverse Of handsome.
he was asked by her whom he thought
the portrait resembied-
Il think, said the poet, "it is like the
Saracen's head on Snow HILL"
A bold stroke TO obtain liberty BY
means Of compliment was that made
By ". De Maupertius, when prisoner IN
Austria, was presented to the Empress,
who said to him;
@You know the lleen OfSEeden, sister
to the King Of Prussia -
"Yes, madame"
Il am told that she IS the most besuti-
ful Princes IN the world
Madame" replied the cunning Pris-
oner, Il always thought - until now"
This was as diplomatic as the words
and action Of the Marquis Medina, a
Spanish nobleman. Qleen ElizIbeth,
who had been admiring bis eleg nee and
him on it, at the same
time begged to know who possessed the
heart OF 50 accomplished a cavalier
Madame, said he. "a lover risks too
much on such an occasion, but Your Ma
iesty's will Is law. Excuse me, however,
if fear to name her, but request Your
Majesty's acceptance Of her portrait
He sent her a looking glass.
While upon the subject Of Royal
compliments, the one paid to the present
Queen by the Sovereign Of ZInzibar IS
worth repeating. 1t IS a fine piece Of
Orit nt1l poetry. He said that be mental
Iy likened her ito that mountain of load
stone mentioned in The Thousand and
One Nights which drew the nails out Of
the sides Of the ships which passed that
way. Even 50 did the hearts Of the
have hitherto met seem
irawn on by q magnet 70 Her Majesty
A pretty compliment, indeed
The following, however, is still better