The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-06-09
CONCEALED PUNS.
James Russell Lowell CIeverIy Hid
One In a Review.
QUAINT HUMoR IN A SNEEzE.

/ A1VlaNC LIZ to>hhhSh III oOAhC ACAhihAo
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 tempered 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
Agis, King of Sparta"
Professor FELTON, of Harvard, we are
told, was the first to remember or dis
lcover that the name of Agis' brother
was Eudamidas.
A more Opaque mystification is con-
tanned in passage In the first chapter
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
4 f,.tar,d 80 mn at
between whom and myself there sprang
up an affectionate and. l trust, not
transitory regard"
This friend used to come and sit or
stand by the Hawthorne freside. 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-
dices and mistakes. that / understood
his countrymen infinitely the better for
the intensest Englishman of them all
for his sake. 1t would crafty my cher
ished remembrance of this dear friend
IL 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
dusky little apartment as often as he
| made his appearance there"
The casual reader never suspects
that Hawthorne has deftly accomplish
him that Bright, the apparent adjective
that so cunningly begins sentence
and therefore achieves the right to a
capital initial, may be alternatiyely
read as proper noun.
Henry A. Bright was. in fact, Haw-
thorue's only intimate friend in Liver
pool. He was a man of wealth and po-
sition In that town, dilettante who
had published for his own amusement
u 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
locations. This came to be known as
Hawthorne's corner.
There is a 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 neighborhood in
their clerical duties. On one occasion
he dined with the incumbent on the
preceding Saturday. The evening
passed in great hilarity, the squire.
Kershaw by name, being conspicuous
by his loud enjoyment Of the visitors
jokes.
II am very glad that have amused
you" said Sydney Smith at parting,
but you must not laugh at my sermon
tomorrow
II should hope know the difference
between here and a church." remarked
the squire little tartly perhaps.
I'm not so sure OF that"
TN bet you a guinea on IT,"
Take you." said the divine.
Next day the preacher assembled 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 intonations. This ingenious
assumption OF the readiness with which
man would recognize his own name
In sounds unlntelligible TO the ears of
others proved accurate. The poor
squire burst into guffaw, TO the scan
dial Of the congregation. The minister
after looking at him with stern re-
proach proceeded with his discourse
and won the bet
Another version makes the victim
OF Sydney's Jest a certain Sir Archi
bald Macdonald. equerry to the Duke
OF Sussex. Sir Archibald said TO the
prelate. who was then a canon at ST
PauIs cathedral:
Il Will come some Sunday to hear
fOu preach"
IF you do I shall name you from the
pulpit" was the reply.
Undaunted by this threat. Sir Archi
bald went TO St Paurs.
sydney entered the pulpit. looked
hard at the barOnet and was seized
with a wonderful it Of sneezing.
Archie. Archie. ARCHER was how
sounded in Sir Archibald's ears. and
se could not help sudden laugh OF
recognition. William 8 Walsh in BOs-
ton Post
A Query.
Fair Patron-The papers say you han