The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-24
The Art of Compliment.

| others more bitter than the yer;est insult
all, with the exception of the spontaneous
compliment, SAVIOR of the artificial. and, "a
the essence of a compliment lies il delicate
exaggeration--we refer to the compliment OF
tact and not to the compliment laid on
with trowel-all necessitate more or less
| departure from the truth. To attempt to
| classify the compliment, says the London
Standard, IS task bordering on the i'm
| possible, as no strict line of demarcat:on
can be fixed. The graceful compliment may
embrace the compliment of diplomacy, and
| even then be tinged by the compliment
ironical: who, than. shall say TO which class
| 1t belongs? The classifier would probably
| label 1t doubtful and would soon find
| that almost all. except the most polished
specimens in his collection were qualified
for inclusion under that heading.
An excellent example of the doubtful
| compliment relates to Garibaldi's visit to
London, and is credited to Lord Palmer
| ston. The ministers were considerably trou-
bled with regard TO the attitude they should
assume when the great patriot landed on
these shores, and at loss for any practi-
| cal solution Palmersron, out of WEAKNESS,
suggested, Let us get him married 20 the
| Duchess of Sutherland Unfortunately
objected a colleague "the man is already
/ L
thoughtfully, "we'n get Gladstone to ex-
plain her away" Which, surely. was a
very great tribute to the right honorable
gentleman's powers of persuasion, what.
ever else it might be. Doubtful. too. but
in another sense. was the celebrated mathe-
matician Nicole's compliment on one oc-
casion to his hostess. Having assured her
| that her lovely little eyes had made an
| impression on his heart which would never
| be eradicated," and being informed that
| he had made vast mistake In his choice
| of an adjective, and that he should havh
chosen one of magnitude. he fastened TO
add, Madame, / never, beheld such fine
| large eyes, such fine large lips such fine
| large hands. or so fine and large a person
altogether, in the whole course of my life"
| Doubtful because it somewhat reflected
| upon his appearance, but upon the whole
very complimentary, was the remark, it is
| said, certain royal parsonage made to his
host anent judge, more famous for his
| delivery on judgments in the Quuen's
Bench division than for the neatness of his
attire. Having entered into conversation
with the judge at shooting party, and
| being particularly struck with the amount
of knowledge he displayed, on leaving him
| the royal visitor went straight to his host
1
extremely intelligent game-keeper with
whom 1 have just been speaking?' Ex-
plantations then ensued.
There have been few masters of the art
| of compliment of greater talent then Louis
XIV. of France. On one occasion when
waiting at the top of the grand staircase,
| to greet Condo after the battle of Senef,
| the Prince apologized for keeping his Ma
| Jesty waiting so long, pointing out that his
| govt prevented him from ascending win
greater rapidity. The king replied: MY
cousin, make no apologies; one who is so
| laden with laurels as you are cannot move
more quickly Which was extremely pref
| ty, and shows admirable tact insomuch
| as it includes an Illusion to the military
| prowess of the bearer. Similar tact was
displayed in his compliment to Jean Bap-
tiste Massillon, Bishop of Clermont Said
he: Il have heard many great preachers,
and the effect they produced on me was
that 1 felt thoroughly satisfied with them.
Every time 1 hear you L have been dissat-
:sfied with myself" Although one could not
expect it of him. vet Frederick the Great
could turn a pretty compliment with the
best of them. A case in point was at a
banquet at Neiss, when the Austrian Cen
eral Laudohn, who had been invited, wish
Commanding him to be seated at his side,
Frederick said: Come and sit here, Gen.
eral for I have always wished to see you
at my side, rather than facing me-" Mon.
archs,'' said Prior. should compliment
their foes, and shun their friends" Fred
erick would seem TO have recognized and
acted on this advice.
These three examples of the compliment
royal show how an acceptable compliment
should be profered; the following speci-
men shows how a well-meaning but blum
dering Individual can turn an act of grace
into q direful insult He was a north-coun-
try gentleman. bluff and overbearing and
he was called upon shortly after the first
attempt to raise a volunteer force in Eng
land TO return thanks at municipal ban
Guet for the branch OF arms of which he
was a shining light. After speaking in the
usual vein for some considerable time. he
ended his remarks thusly: Gentlemen.
On behalf of my comrades, I can assure
you that if Napoleon's colonies should land
at Spurn. the First East York Rifles will |
not be the last to fee,'' and In place of the |
usual applause that he expected would |
greet his would-be complimentary speech, |
the unfortunate speaker resumed his seat |
amid peals of laughter which completely /
mystifled him. The spontaneous comph- !
ment, as we have already noted. is the only /
truthful species of its kind. Sad on the |
spur OF the moment, and the outcome OF |
delightful surprise. there Is no time FOR |
polishing, for IL is the heart and not the |
brain that speaks. Such compliment was
that paid 10 the Duchess Of Devonshire by |
a dustman who caught a glimpse OF her as
he was about to regale himself with a Whit
OF tobacco Lord bless you, my lady. let
me light my pipe in your eyes" said he.
which so delighted her grace that she often
vould-be complimenter by
saying: After the dustman's compliment,
all others are ins:pid.'
That a compliment can be expressed in
action as well as in words is Illustrated by
the diplomatic compliment paid By the
duke Of Gramnont when he entered unsn-
nounced the apartment OF Cardinal Mazarin
and found his em.nence taking a little exer
else by jumping against the wall Reslz-
ing that Il would never do TO express the
least surprise az finding a churchmsn or
the cardinals years so employed. the duke
promptly cried. III bet you hundred
crowns that I can jump higher than your
eninence" the bet was accepted, and they
fu-nved for their EveS-or rather for the
dukes livelihood for that worthy and d.
uiornatic compliment took very good care
10 subtIy compliment the cardinal by a.
WAYS jumping a few inches Jess than ne
had accomplished. and in SIX months after
he YVES marshal OF France. The graceful
OF Louis XIV have already
been noted. but IL Is doubtful Il even taese
excel in grace the ep.sTanrstic comsE-
ment paid to DR.. BslEuy after he had |
preached q sermon az Winchester cathedral
on the words. "Afl wisdom Is sorroS. hy
DIR. watson. Afterwards bishop OF Llsniss. /
l,a xvrcre-