New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-07

and his great opponent was communicated 10
the diarist in these words:
Gladstone oratoning away as to Disrae ms
course of the Right Hon gentleman and his Satel,
nf What he had been saying He looked at some
papers and then seemed to appeal TO GoSchen' bul
DsraeIi looked over great paper he bad in his
hand and said very quietly, on got TO Satelntes
as if he were speaking to a child who was saying
At last Gladstone appeared to recover himself
"Oh! / am very much Obliged to the Right Hon.
to something else
Anecdotes of famous people appear to have
gravitated to Grant Duff as steel to magnet
no breakfast no dinner, no journey has gone
unmarked by an acquisition. They are some
times brief recollectons as that of Mr.. Kiplings
reply when asked what he had found in New
England Nothing but granite and mortgages,
or that of the terse exclamation of the Empress
of Austria when Ambassador admired her
magnificent jewels: when they bring them to
me feel like horse that is going to be sad
died" There was a curious story told to our
author by his friend Coleridge, which involved
what is truly called unfair depreciation of
southey committee had assembled after
the poets death at Sir John Coleridge's house
to discuss the best way of doing honor to the
departed.
number Of highly distinguished persons being
assembled there was a knock at the door. old Mr..
Rogers was ushered in and received Of course,
with much respect. Just as business was about TO
Duke of Wellington speak of Mr. Southey
on! saId some onel what nat ana ne Duke say
Rogers. II don't think much of Mr.. Southey" and
with this encouraging introduction the proceedings
OF the committee began.
No book of "reminiscences of the last half of
the nineteenth century be quite complete
without a characteristic story of Freeman, who
was brusque to the point of boorishness This
chronicle presents that eminent professor as ex-
aiming the field (which men call Hastings and
| the gods Senlac":
can be of some service to YOU" Pray go away,'
ALL But" insisted the newcomer. Il think 1
could show you something which you ought to see"
information, But really sir if you would o3, 2iiow
Il know the Duke has . given orders that . am to
the answer.
An anecdote Of a man who sometimes exhibit
ed a quality not unlike the historian's-Cecil
Rhodes, to wits set in the frame of a dinner
table An extremely pretty woman sat next to
| Rhodes and to her he remarked: Il hate Ger
mans" "WeH," said the lady, II don't hate
them. but by no means like them" oh" re-
sponded Rhodes briefly, Il thought you were a
German" Another dinner-table story told
down to dinner one evening by Mr.. Babbage,
whose name she had not caught when they were
introduced
Something was said about "squaring words
What does that mean? L asked Il will tell
you he answered. You take a word, for
ample like horse. That contains six letters.
Six said l timidly. don't you fve?' NO.
no." he rejoned there six letters in horse
Surely not" l rejoined, and spet the word All,
is why I invented the calculating machine"
! Some of Mountstuart Grant Dufs stories
have met before; a few of them graybeards.
But these ancients are cast in the shade by
mass of entertaining anecdotes which are fresh
on this side of the at least. The American
stories are poor, though it must be admitted that
Sir Mountstuart tells them with evident relish
and air of faith in the most absurd of them.
One specially interesting element in his notes
is his citation of epitaphs for which he has
collectors fancy. He shows, too, nice taste in
poetry. and with few exceptions his quotations
do him credit.
! 1t is, we repeat mournful to realize that here
| farewell must be said to one of the cleverest
and most delightful gossippers of the last CEN
fury. The Astounding vitality and humOr of
these volumes go far to convince US that the