Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-02-22
CONCEALED PUNS.
lanes Russell Lowell CleverIy Hid
One In a Review.
QUAINT HUMOR IN A SNEEzE.
The Story That Is Told of the Witty
Cleric, Sydney Smith, and the Wager
He Won While In the Pulpit--A
Buried Pun by Nathaniel Hawthorne.


Horace E. Scudder in some remlnis-
cences of James Russell Lowell point
ed out that the poet critic even in his
soberest essays would sometimes hide
away jest for the delectation Of spe-
cially discerning readers. Thus In a
review of Richard Grant Whites edi-
ton Of Shakespeare, Lowell remarked
incidentally:
ITO every commentator who has
wantonly tampered with the text or
obscured 1t with his inky cloud Of para
phrase we feel inclined to apply the
quadrisyllabic name OF the brother Of
Agls, king of Sparta"
Professor FELTON, of Harvard, we are
told, was the first to remember or dis
cover that the name Of Agis' brother
was Eudamidas.
A more opaque mysti6catlon Is con-
tained in passage In the first chapter
Of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "0ur Old
Home'-opaque only because he pur-
posely seeks to conceal every clew to
the fact that pun is buried beneath
the surface.
The chapter is headed Consular Ex-
periences.' Speaking Of the lights and
shadows Of the consul's office at Liver
pool, where he was stationed during
the presidency Of Franklin Pierce
Hawthorne dwells with special pleas
ure on the visits of young English
friend, "a scholar and literary amateur
between whom and myself there sprang
up an affectionate and, l trust, not
transltory regard"
This friend used to come and sit or
stand by the Hawthorne fireside, with
such kind endurance Of the many
rough republicanisms wherewith as
sailed him and such frank and amiable
assertion Of all sorts Of English preju-
dlces and mistakes, that understood
his countlymen infinitely the better for
him and was almost prepared to love
the intensest Engllshman of them all
for his sake. 1t would crafty my cher
lshed remembrance Of this dear friend
If could remind him without offend.
ing him, or letting the public know 1t,
to introduce his name upon my page.
Bright was the illumination of my
duslSy little apartment as often as he
made his appearance there"
The casual reader never suspects
that Hawthorne has deftly accomplish
ed his purpose. 1t does not occur to
him that Bright, the apparent adjective
that so cunningly begins a sentence
and therefore achieves the right to
capital initial, may be alternatively
read as a proper noun.
Henry A. Bright was, in fact, Haw-
thorne's only intimate friend in Liver
pool. lie was a man Of wealth and po-
sitlon In that town. a dlettante who
had published for bis own amusement
a botanical manual, THE English
Flower Garden" With Hawthorne he
would frequently call upon the local
bookseller, Henry Young, making use
of little nook in the rear Of the shop
TO examine and discuss the recent pub
llcatlons. This came to be known as
Hawthorne's corner
There Is n story told about Sydney
Smith that represents him as carrying
a concealed pun into the pulpit with
him. The most familiar version is that
which Lord Houghton used to tell.
When settled at his small living in
Yorkshire, Sydney willingly assisted
his brethren IN that neigbborhood In
their clerical duties. On one occasion
he dlned with the incumbent on the
preceding Saturday The evening
passed In great hllarity, the squire,
Kershaw by name, being conspicuous
by his loud enjoyment Of the visitors
jokes.
Il am very glad that have amused
you" said Sydney Smith at parting,
but you must not laugh at my sermon
tomorrow"
81 should hope know the difference
between here and church." remarked
the squire a little tartly perhaps.
I'm not so sure Of that
"I'll bet you n guinea on IT,"
"Take you" said the divine.
Next day the preacher ascended the
steps Of the pulpit apparently suffering
from a severe cold. with his handker.
chief to his face, and at once sneezed
out the name "Kershaw" several times
In various intonatlons This Ingenious
assumption Of the readiness with which
q man would recognize his own name
In sounds unIntelligible TO the ears OF
others proved accurate The poor
squire burst into guf'nw to the scan
dnI Of the congregation The minister
after looking mt him with stern re-
proach proceeded with his discourse
aud won the bet
Another version makes the victim
Of Sydney's Jest certain SIR Archl.
bald Macdonald, equerry to the Duke
Of Sussex. Sir Archibald said to the
prelate, who was then n canon at ST.
Pau's cnthedrnl
81 will come some Sunday to hear
you preach"
"If you do shall name sou from the
wipit" was the reply
undaunted By this threat, Sir Archl
bald went to St pauIs.
sydney entered the pulpit looked
hard at the bnronet md was seized
with a wonderful NJ Of sneezIng.
Archie. Archie. Archie" was how