New-York tribune., 1912-02-11

off and on till the reign Of George ~,
when attacking the watch once more be-
came a favorite sport. Peels policemen
the "peelers"-put an end to 1t In 1929,
but there was a last outbreak in early
Victorian days, under the leadership OF
the Marquis of Waterford. He was
nearly killed by a watchman. subse-
ouentIy hned couple of times, and this
Feems to have been the last flicker OF
expiring savagery so far as decent So
c.ety was concerned"
If this form of primitive hunor, which,
by the way, fingers to this day among
the immature college youths OF most
countries, has become incomprehensible
10 us, much Of the wit Of the wits" of
eighteenth century England seems decid-
edly witless In what has been recorded
Of II. Mr.. Pearson traces the origin or
the Wits in the coffee houses and their
rise through their political employment
until Il became fashionable TO be
wit, the word supplanting the earlier
courtesy title Of "man Of fashion, II
thus lost much OF its meaning, the term
being applied Unfortunately to men OF
fashion. and associated with their disso-
lutte practices, so that "a man Of wit
often meant little more than profigate
From the intellectual discourse OF the
coffee houses It degenerated at the same
time into the conversational fireworks Of
the drawing room. The author gives
some examples of the results OF this
forced cultivation Of cleverness: they are
deadly. He also describes the affecta-
tions Of these gentry, especially their
pretence Of somnolence In order TO en-
hance the effect Of their utterance Of
witticisms. One woman Wit alone has
come down 10 us by reputation, Lady
Townshend, Of whom Horace Walpole
speaks in his letters, and whose pen por-
trait, much coarsened. may be seen In
the "Iady Bellaston" OF tom Jones"
She was also, according TO Mary Wort
lev Montagll, the original Of a character
in a now forgotten novel, "Pompey the
q Little" under the name Of Lady Tenn
pest" Being Wit, the lady was also
profigate, and, withal, a thoroughgoing
aristocrat:
About the middle OF the eighteenth cen
tury a good deal OF new blood was ad-
mitted into the peerage, not greatly TO the
satisfaction Of some Of the existing arlstoc-
racy Lady Townshend declared that SO
many brewers and poulterers had been en-
robled that she expected every day 10 re,
ceive a bill from her hshmonGer slsned
Lord Mountshrimp.'
OF George II and the royal house she
said that they were "the cheapest family
10 see and the dearest to keep that ever
was" Her wit, according to Horace
Walpole. was considerably above. the
Lowell OF her age.
Mr.. Pearson devotes a chapter 10 Wal
loIc under the title Of THE Serious Side
o. a Worldly Alan" giving it pendant
m The Lighter Side Of a Serious Wom-
an. not particularly important or
interesting study of Hannah More. De-
cidedly worth while, on the other hand.
is the account Of the Duchess Of Queens
norry. the patroness OF the poet Gay
and the friend OF Swift, whom yet she
never met after the days OF their child
rood. Gay, anxious TO bring the two to-
rether. yet dreading the consequences
of the clash of two such headstrong
natures, apprehensive, also, of the effect
of the Deans barbaric manners upon
the eccentric duchess's fastidiousness. at
lagt persuaded her TO send Swift an in
vitation 10 visit her that is characteristic
of the woman:
I would fain have you come. / cannot
raw you will be welcome; for do not
know you, and perhaps / shall not like you;
btIt IL I do not (uness you are very vain
person., you shall know my thoughts as
boon as I do myself.
Swift. who had eaten with his knife
OF p, as house, berause he had found