Smyrna times., 1898-01-05
A JOKER'S FAME.
Some Interesting "Reminiscences of the
Famous HumOrist, Sydney Smith.

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 enliven
a dinner table with his wit. Like other
wise men who have a talent for making
people laugh, he was jealous of his
reputation for good sense
When he reprinted his essays from
the Edinburgh Review, his object, Civ
Ell i'll his own words, was to show, if
could, that l had not passed my life
merely in making jokes, but that had
made use Of whatever little powers of
pleasantly l might be endowed with to
discountenance bad and to encourage
liberal and wise principles. In this
object he failed. His public services and
wisdom have been forgotten. His jokes
are remembered.
His account Of Dame PartingtOn, who
lived upon the beach at Sidmouth and
who was seen during a violent storm
trundling 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 i'll 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 i'll 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 fO1
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. PartingtOn S 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 a breach of the peace an(
converting hostility to the lords int;
good natured contempt ''The Atlanti,
ocean beat Mrs. Partington. "
During the 60 years which preceded
the Victorian reign Sydney Smith wa
almost the only prominent Englisl
clergyman who was interested i'll re
form movements, and in his writing
for the Edinburgh Review he succeedet
by his wit i'll presenting the dullest ar
gument with freshness and force. Wi
with him was the vehicle which carrie
good sense and wisdom. He has been il
his grave go years. and his reputation
that of a clerical joker.
He expected that tablet would b
erected to his memory in St. Paul's ca
thedral, London, where as canon h
was favOrite preacher at the close c
his life There is no memorial table
there, nor is there one at either Fosto
or COmbe-F -FlOrey, the two parishe
where most of his work was done Hi
jokes have survived not only his writ
ings, but his services as a refOrmer VIII
loved religious liberation and politica
liberty as the breath Of his life.
What his career proves is that wit
one of the most powerful weapons i
the world. Without it he would hay
eXerted very much less influence as
writer or preacher i'll politics. Wit
it his name has been handed down {
: one Of the great Englishmen of h
time