The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1913-06-12
CONCEALED PUNS.
James Russell Lowell CIeverly Hid
One In a Review.
QUAINT HUMOR IN A SNEEZE.
The Story That 10 Told Of the Witty
Cleric, Sydney Smith, and the Wager
He Won While In the Pulpit-A
Buried Pun by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Cleric, Sydney Smith, and the Wager
He Won While In the PuIpit-A
Buried Pun by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Horace E. Scudder in some reminis-
cences Of James Russell Lowell point
ed out that the poet critic even In his
soberest essays would sometimes hide
away q 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
uuadrisyllabic name OF the brother of
Agis, 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 mystification Is con-
tained In a passage in the first chapter
Of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Our 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
transitory regard"
This friend used to come and sit or
stand by the Hawthorne Preside, 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 l understood
his countrymen infinitely the better for
him and was almost prepared to love
the intensest Englishman of them all
for his sake. 1t would crafty my cher
1shed remembrance of this dear friend
II l 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
ed his purpose. 1t does not occur to
him that Bright, the apparent adjective
that so cunningly begins sentence
and therefore achieves the right to Q
capital initial, may be alternatively
read as proper noun.
Henry A. Bright was, in fact, Haw
thornes only intimate friend In Liver
pool. He was a man Of wealth and pc
sition In that town, dilettante wh'
had published for his own Amusement
o botanical manual. THE Englisl
Flower Garden" With Hawthorne h
would frequently call upon the loca
bookseller, Henry Young, making us
Of little nook in the rear Of the shol
to examine and discuss the recent pub
lications. This came to be known a
Hawthorne's corner.
There is a story told about Sydne
Smith that represents him as carryin
. concealed pun into the pulpit wit
him. The most familiar version is tina
which Lord Houghton used to tel
When settled at his small living
Yorkshire, Sydney willingly assiste
his brethren In that neighborhood
their clerical duties. On one occasio
he dined with the incumbent on tn
preceding Saturday. The evenin
passed in great hilarity, the squir
Kershaw by name, being conspicuor
by his loud enjoyment of the visitor
Jokes.
II am very glad that have amuse
you," said Sydney Smith at parting
"'but you must not laugh at my sermo
tomorrow"
II should hope l know the different
between here and church." remarke
the squire little tartly perhaps.
I'm not 80 sure of that"
"I'll bet you guinea on it"
Take you" said the divine.
Next Jay the preacher dSceuucu u
steps of the pulpit apparently sufferiI
from a severe cold. with his handke
chief to his face, and at once sneez'
out the name "Kershaww several tim
In various intonations. This ingenio
assumption of the readiness with wifi
Q man would recognize his own mar
IN sounds unintelligible to the ears
others proved accurate. The 20
squire burst into guffaw. to the sea
dal Of the congregation. The minist
after looking at him with stern !
proach proceeded with his discour
and won the bet
Another version makes the victl
Of Sydney's Jest a certain Sir Arc
bald Macdonald. equerry to the Du
0f Sussex. Sir Archibald said to t
peelate. who was then a canon at
Paul's cathedral
81 will come some Sunday to he
you preach"
eff Won do ehall name You from [