The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-21
A JOKER'S FAME.
Some Interesting "Reminiscences OF the
Famous Humorist, sydney smith.

sydney Smith was political reform
er and one of the foremost men OF let
terS of his time, but he is remembered
chiefly as a humorist who could enlivcn
a dinner table with his wit Like other
wise men who have talent for making
people laugh, he was jealous OF his
reru,ation for good sense
When be reprinted his essays from
the Edinburgh Review bis object, CIV.
IN in his own words, was Ito show, II
cculd, that had net passed ny life
merely in making Jokes, bur thar ! had
made use of whatever little powers OF
pleasantly light be endowed with to
aiscuuntenanca tad and to encourage
liberal ana wise principles. ~ IN this
object hc failed His public services and
wisdom have been forgotten His jokes
arc remembered
His account OF Dame Partington, who
lived upon the beach at Sidmouth and
who was seen during violent storm
hundliug her mop, squeezing out the
sea water and vigorously pushing away
the Atlantic ocean, is a household story
which every one knows The circum-
stances in which it was told and the
effect produced by it have passed out of
mind
1t was at the end Of long agitation
for political reform in England when
the house of lords had thrown out the
great measure of Lord John Russell,
which had been carried through the
commons. Sydney Smith, the political
parson who had been advocating Lib
eral principles and reform measures for
many years, told this story at politi-
cal meeting in Taunton, at which
speeches were made protesting against
the action of the lords 1t caught the
public fancy, and within week every
body in England was laughing over it.
Mrs. Darlington mop battle with the
tempest tossed Atlantic portrayed the
lords futile struggle with English pub
lie opinion. That funny story was prob
ably more effective than the most elo-
quent argument in disarming mobs,
preventing q breach CT the peace and
converting hostility to the lords into
good natured contempt. 1.-THE Atlantic
ocean beat Mrs Darlington y
During the 60 years which preceded
the Victorian reign sydney Smith was
almost the only prominent English
clergyman who was interested in re-
form movements, and in his writings
for the Edinburgh Review he succeeded
by his wit in presenting the dullest ar
gument with freshness and force Wit
with him was the vehicle which carried
good sense and wisdom He has been in
his grave go years, and his reputation is
that of clerical joker
He expected that tablet would lie
erected to his memory in st. Paul S ca
thedral, London, where as canon he
was a favorite preacher at the close of
his life. There is no memorial tablet
there, nor is there one at either Foston
or Combe-Florey, the two parishes
where most of his work was done His
jokes have survived not only his writ
ings, but his services as IL reformer who
loved religious liberation and political
liberty as the breath Of his life
What his career proves is that wit is
one of the most powerful weapons i'll
the world. Without it he would have
exerted very much less influence as &
writer or a preacher in politics With
1T his name has been handed down as
one Of the great Englishmen CT his
time.