The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-28

) 90 that BY far the largest amount OF air spaces
II sHs ssSsnsS so9ta Wssp y II 4Ss 81; eomR ftIor
otroyal palaces, one can imagine The state o
things In humber habitations.
Nv.
In a chapter on clerRymen we are told thai
verbal felicity was the marked feature Of Canon
Liddon's conversation. Commenting on a dark
Christmas to q friend. he observed. London
is just now buried under a dense fog. This is
commonly attributed TO DR.. Westcott having
opened his study window at Westminster" A
saving Of Or. Jowett's. which the author had
the advantage Of hearing. does much to atone,
In his judgment for the snappish imperti-
nences on which the Master of Balliol's repu-
tation for wit has been generally based. The
scene was the Masters " dining room. and
tho moment that the ladies left the room ono
o fthe guests began o most outrageous CONVEX
sation. Everybody sat d~umfounded. Tho
Master WINGED In annoyance and then. bend
ing down the table toward the offender. said.
in his shrlllest tone. Shall We continue this
conversation in the drawing room 2" and rose
from his chair. or the late Master Of Trinity.
Cambridge. DR.. Thompson. IL was said. he
casteth forth his ice like morsels. Who IL able
to abide his frost7" The stories OF his NOR
dant wit are endless. At 6eeley's inaugural
lecture as professor OF history-it will be re-
membered that Seeley succeeded Charles
Kingsley In that chair-Thompson's only re-
mark was: We'll. well. / did not think we
could so soon have had occasion to regret poor
Kingsley" To q gushing admirer who said
that a certain popular preacher had so much
taste: "Oh. yes; 30 very much. and all SO very
bad" His hit at the present Chief Secretary
for ireland when he was n junior fellow for
Trinity is classical: I'VE are none Of us infalli-
bic: not even the youngest Of u.s." We are as
sured. however. that IL requires an eyewit-
ness OF the scene to do justice to the exordium
OF the Masters sermon on the parable OF the
talents addressed In Trinity Chapel to what
considers itself the c~leverest congregation In
the world: 1T would be obviously super
fuous in a congregation such as that which
1 now address to expatiate on the respon- 4
sibility Of those who have i've. or even two.
talents. 1 shall. therefore. confne my obser-
vations to the more ordinary case OF those who
have one talent"
In a chapter on ~repartee the opinion Is pro-
pounded that the last generation excelled the
present in the art of making a telling rejoinder.
II this be true. 1t may be partly attributed to
the greater freedom Of an age when well-bred
men and refined women spoke their minds
with an uncompromising plainness which
would now be voted intolerable. Beau Brum-
nell, the prince OF handles. and the most In
solent OF men. was once asked by q lady II he
UNIV - SNP ~ w. AAiAA JOue u
ma'am." he replied, "Inever take anything but
II beg our PARDON replied the
you also take liberties" Lady W.
R.. an English woman. who had spent her life
In diplomatic society abroad. and in old age
held a ealon in London. was talking during
the Franco-German war Of 1870 to the
French Ambassador. who complained bitterly
England had not interviewed on behalf Of
France. But. after all" he said. 1t was only
49, It'll AA-a --~A ny
ieved that you were q nation Of shopkeepers.
md now we know you are.' AM we." re-
olied Lady ". R.. always believed that you
we're a nation OF soldiers, and now we know you
ire not" The author recalls another story of
famous lady who, early in this century, had I
great wealth under a will which. to
tut it mildly. occasioned much surprise. She
an opera box with q certain Lady D.,
Who loved the winecup too we'll. One night
lady D. was visibly intoxicated at the opera
md her friend told her that her partnership in
he box must cease. as she could not appear
gain In company 30 disgraceful. AS you 1
said Lady D. Il may have had a I
Of wine too much; but. at any rate. I
ever forged my fathers signature and then |
murdered the butler to prevent his telling it." s
even among staid statesmen and schol- 1
rs verbal encounters sometimes took a q
ercely personal tone. especially when |
Official passion was aroused. An instance /
} cited. Sir James Macintosh. who had
cen a vehement apologist for the French g
evolution. fell later under the influence OF 8
and proclaimed unmeasured hostility to l
he revolution and its author. Having thus be- :
ome a strenuous champion OF law and order. t
Q exclaimed one day that q certain Irish priest h
Tho had negotiated between the revolutionary u
arties In Ireland and France was the basest t
I mankind. No. Macintosh replied the e
ound but pedantic old Wing. DR.. Parr. "he =
have been much worse. He was an Irish +
ian he might have been a Scotsman. He v
'as q priest; he might have been q lawyer. He y
'as a rebel; he might have been a renegade" G
ord Beaconsleld. 1t seems. was the last man r
no INDUCED in the severe forms OF elaborate I
lrcasm. When the Greville memoirs came out !"
ome one asked Mr.. Disraeli. as he then was. If +
Q had read hem. He replied: mo, lido not !,
attracted to them. / knew the author and h
g was the most conceited person with whom a
ave ever been brought in contact, although v
ave read Cicero and known Bulwer-Lytton." +
l a lighter style was Lady Morley's comment u
4 the d~ecaying charms OF her famous rival. l;
Ady Jersey. OF whom some gushing admirer "
Id said that she looked so splendid going to T
In her mourning array OF black and dia- "
onds that 1t was like night" "Yes. my dear. 4
1t minuit pdssG." A masculine analogue to cl
is doubtful compliment is quoted from the a
BILE talk Of Lord Granville. to whom the very N
I'D Mr.. Delane had been complaining Of the 81
+ a young lady OF the house Of Rothschild. &C
u would be absurd to give a Rothschild a di
stly gift. l should like to find something not Iii
trinsically. valuable. but interesting because yc
Is nd rare are ,oo Nothing y easier, my dear fellow; at
01;.iEordd has always been q nursing motber Of n
aster's guests were discussing the career of III
=, "a BallIol men T. 2R re- OF whom bed JUS. been hi
Id Henry Smith. professor Of geometry. II IN
ink the Bishop is the greater man. AJndge, IN
the most. can only say, You be hanged but an
Bishop can say. You be damned" Yes" co
the Judge says. 'you be hanged you are VA
,li-known man Of sciences, His only fault
allure for the author Of nature" A great W,
wyer. who is now a, great Judge. and has NC
Q very highest opinion Of. himself, stood. In
are told; " a hlbsral at the gem he
on Henry Smith remarked: Nov that's tel