The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-13
ABOUT REPUTATION


1t seems that some men, whose names
[ do not remember, have recently been
amusing themselves, and boring every
hodv else. by attacking the literary repu-
tation of Shakespeare. After demolishing
him, they may take up Homer, who is
understood to stand second on the list
of the great poets of the world; and
when he is used up, they may pay their
respects to Milton.
Blaze away, brethren Your sport is per-
fectly safe; for they can all stand fire;
and none of them will shoot back Even
if they we're now on earth, they would
probably pay little attention to pop guns
loaded with mustard seed shot, and with
mighty little powder behind them. They
would as soon think of firing a Krupp
cannon at a blue bottle fly or of charg-
ing a mosquito with a squadron of cav
airy.
A citizen of one of the old states once
went prospecting in Texas. Determined to
have at least five reasons for being re-
spected he took with him Colts re-
volver, % calibre. Getting into a quarrel
with one of the natives, he drew his little
weapon and threatened to fire; when the
big Texan looked calmly down the barrel
and quietly said: Man. If you was to
shoot me with that thing, and L was to
find it out. I'd war this stick out on
you"
Sober minded people are almost COM
PEELED to believe that these detractors of
Shakespeare can have no other motive
but the morbid longing for cheap no.
toriety 1T can hardly be supposed that
such writer's have sense enough to note
the immense difference between notoriety
and reputation. To gain notoriety you
have only to do, say, show or be some
thing unusual, to gain reputation you
must exhibit unusual excellence
young minister, who longed to be
"dashlng" preacher, asked an old father
in the ministry:
What must | do to draw crowd?'
Announce publicly that you will pro-
nounce the benedictlon standing on your
head on the pulpit desk" was the curt
reply.
Divers peripatetic evangelist, con-
verted out of circuses, or barrooms, or
gambling dens, or even jails, are preach
ing to crowds such as John A.
Broadus never saw. Some of these
drawing cards" are utterly incompetent
to expound the Bible, and absolutely I'M
Trustworthy as religious instructors. Not
a few of them are portents of egotism
and vanity.
Some time ago says a well known
preacher, Il heard one of the most no
torious of them do what he called preach
ing in a protracted meeting. Soon wearied
with his bald, disjointed chat and not
feeling sleepy, I determined to learn
something by counting the number of
times he said T. l counted 2S2 rs and
did not count the my's' nor the mes "
A young limb of the law, who did not
know the difference between ''notoriety'
and reputation" imagined that he could
distinguish himself by attacking the
personal character of old John S. Barbour
of Culpeper county, Virginia, the father
of the late United States senator of the
same name Being pitted against Mr.
Barbour, i'm a case in court, he poured
out the Walls of his wrath upon the
famous orator, lawyer and statesman.
When Mr.. Barbour came to reply, he de-
livered his argument. and then closed
thus: ITO the attack which the incl
vldual who last addressed you has seen
fiet to make upon me personally, ! have
to say-nothng. But Lawrence Sterne
tells of good old Uncle Toby, who loved
everything that God had made, just be-
cause God made it. While sitting at table
one day he was annoyed by large, blue
bottlehy that buzzed about his nose and
refused to be driven away. After many
unsuccessful efforts he managed to catch
it, The people at the table knowing his
benevolent disposition, watched him, to
see what he would do with it. He held
it in his hand. He might have crushed it
by the contraction of a muscle, but 1t
would only have soiled his hand He
rose from the table, went to the window,
raised the sash, and. turning the thing
loose, said: Co poor devil; there's room
enough in Gods great world for thee and
me-" j. c. Hidden.