The times., 1899-10-29

it can be checked or verified TIE form
of sale known as a Dutch auction. at
which property is put up at price above
its value. which is gradually reduced unuI
a buyer is found, may be supposed 10 trace
its origin 10 a similar idea
Dutch comfort is understood to be the
equivalent Of the expression thank my
stars it is no worse" OF which "Dutcn
consolation" is a variant. implying that,
whatever our misfCrtunes, there Is some
body worse of than ourselves. But as the
mower Ct exercising this benefcent feeling
is granted to all mankind. there is no ap-
parent reason why the Dutch should be
thus nominally endowed with a monopoly
of it. The phrase seems to be one OF those
vacuous quizzes which having once come
into use, remain stamped on the yernacular
until they die out from sheer inanitiOn.
OF a different character is Dutch feast
a trope presumably traceable to a falling
frequently spoken of as our own national
vice. But the figure has particular limi-
tation, for il signifies a feast at which the
host becomes intoxicated before his guests
have attained the same happy level, an
offence which in our worst three bottle
days would not easily have been condoned-
There is a welI-knOwn phrase Of reproof
suggestive of a mild form Of terror TO the
person who incurs its penalties i shall
have to talk TO you like a Dutch uncle
Here we are on delicate ground, Tor there
is a living and personal Dom of whom 1t
might be surmised-"De te fabula narra-
tur" He. however. is a Dutch fact while
our Dutch uncle is a mere Jrope. As such
it has puzzled the commentators almost as
much as the physical reality has the diplO-
matists The learned have attempted to
trace it to the Latin patruus. a strict
guardian, as uncles often were. Dreadful
the castgations of an uncle's tongue,
says Horace. But English uncles nova
days are mere boys, and their chidings OF
a more free and easy character. Admitting,
however. the validity of such derivation in
part, whence comes the qualitative
'Dutch?" It is plainly no mere than ''yox
ct praetera nihil."
A curious relationship of ideas is dis
closed in the phrase a Dutch defence
for the state Of things thus implied IS
neither Dutch nor defensive. Ii means, in
fact a treacherOus delivering up OF gar
rison to an enemy, and its origin IS prob
ably to be found in some particular
act of treason or cOwardlce which may
be well consigned 10 oblivion A dutch
concert suggests undreamed Of pOssibill-
ties, for to give one effectively every in
strument in the orchestra IS bound TO play
a different tune. the leader being presum-
ably absent on anticipated sick leave.
There is a domestic form Of this inttictioG
of which we have an historic example.
When Mr. Bob Sawyer gave his famous
bachelors party. in Liant Street, the pro-
gramme consisted of oysters and porter,
cigars and yingt-et-un brandy and water
and singing" Jack Hopkins gave The
King. God Bless Him. the great feature
of which is the chorus, and ''as each gen
tleman sang it to the tune he knew best,
the effect was very striking indeed J." Let
us hope that Mr.. Piclwick and his COM
panfons availed themselves of the formula,
and found Dutch comfort in the reflection
that 1T might have been worse.
Although it could be assigned to it.
Dutch metal" does not properly fall into
the present category. For though now