The Monmouth inquirer., 1906-10-04
FAMOUS PuNsTERs.
Good Things Said by Canon Atnge1
and Archbishop Burney.

The late Canon Anger, whether you
consider him as biographer, preach
er or man, was rather charming
than a commanding personality, while
his life was as uneventful as that OF
any country clergyman. The canon's
friends, no doubt-ac,l he had per-
feet genius for frieiidship-wi enjoy
his recently published letters. Even
the puns In the letters need, you feel,
for their apt and adequate setting the
manner. voice and action of the canon.
Here are two or three excellent speci-
mems of this sort Of wit, to which the
canon was as much addicted as Lamb
himself:
..Ainger's made canon" so tbs said,
Because so very well he read.
'.Ah, them" said Smith. demurely wink
ing,
Hes cannoned of the read. I'm think
ing"
The chancellor had been less blamed
II some great preacher he had named.
"Ah, then" said Smith, not even blushin'.
He'd then have cannoned off the cush-
ion."
Apropos of purning, Anger, in spite
of being himself so inyeterate pun
ster has said In letter where he JUS
titles sallies of this sort in Hood all
that can be said against the habit:
ITO hear of any ordinary man that
be makes nuns is properly a warning
to avoid his society, for with the funny
man the verbal coincidence is every
thing. There is nothing underlying it
or beyond it, The ordinary pun is for
the most part profoundly depressing,
being generally an impertinence. but in
the hands Of Hood the pun becomes an
element in his fancy, his humor, his
ethical teaching, even his pathos AS
ordinarily experienced, the pun is the
irreconcilable, enemy of these things.
1t could not dwell with them in one
house Hood saw and was the first to
show that the pun might become even
their handmade"
The best pun in the volume, and, in
deed, the best pun | have ever heard of
its kind is not Hoods or LaInb's or
Ainger,s, but one of ArchtleaVl Hur
neys:
THE neatest thing ever heard was
said by Archdeacon Burney the other
day at meeting at Rochester, where a
list Of subscriptions was being read
off :.Mr--, ESQ That 8 pretty :rood,'
whispered Burncy u his nell lDor
Archdeacon Cheethani who knowing
that the giver was exceedingly r.ch.
murmured, 1t ought to have BEEN
$780, 'Ah,' rejoined Burney instantly,
he forgot the ought" Z"
l wonder, by the way. ii .irchleacon
Burney had had in his lai-l a similar
pun of Douglas Jer.s!d's. When the
friend of a Mieawber wAo wli always
being helped CIT Of pecun.Ary difficult
ties called for the third the on Doug
las Jerrold to ask for another subscrip-
ton. the wit Inquired.
"Well, how much does want this
timer
II think four and two nagghts will
about put him straight"
"You may put me down Tor one of
the naughts"
Here is a specimen of fingers i'm
promptu epigrams, one on child be-
ing born to his friend Haweis stimuli
taneously with the publication of his
"Music and Morals"
Little baby Eaweis,
Playing with your corals.
Pa will mind your music
Who will mind your morals?
Anger, who was a guest at the mar
riage of Hawies to Miss Joy, bride as
diminutiye as her bridegroom, said
.'she evidently didn't wish to be "a Joy
forever and described their union as
"a fortuitous concurrence of atoms"
I find that the well known nonsense
verse ON Crockett's "Cleg Kelly" was
ansimpromptu of the canon's:
There was an old person of Delhi
Whs couldn't read Crockett's "Clee
Kelly"
When they said. Its the fashion,
He replied. In a passion.
What then? So Is Marie Corelli!
Anglers best known bon mot is prob
ably that on the style prescribed to the
contributors to the Dictionary of Ma.
tionai Biography" His suggestion
was mo flowers, by request" Alto
gether his biography leaves on you the
impression of gentle soul who was
an absolutely ideal friend. = London