The sun., 1916-11-11
Hy r. V.

I was reading the other day that that
most amusing Of clerks in holy orders
who writes Irish farcical stories over the
pseudonym &c. a. Birmingham but Is
known to the angels az Canon Hannay.
has given Il as his opinion thai the best
funny thing ever said Is Charles Lambs
reply to the doctor who recommended
him to take a walk on an empty sto'n-
ach. "Whose?' inquired Lamb. That
certainly Is among the best Of the comic
remarks of the world: but why does
Canon Hannay put II down to Lamb?
All my life | have been as~sociating Il
with another humorous clerk In holy or
ders and also a anon. the Rev. sydney
Smith, and 1t is to be found In every coll
lection OF his good sayings. Canon Han
nay. who is normally so eager TO give the
church even more than her due-for
did he not create out of y. j." the Gu
rate. a s~upermagazine hero. blending
sherlock Holmes. Capt. Kettle and Ter
ence Mulvaney In one"--Canon Hannay.
one would think. would have naturally
allotted sydney Smith everything. More
over. the Joke Is more in Sydney Smiths
way thar In Lambs: not because Lamb
was not expert at that peculiar va.
riety OF nonsense. hut because Lamb
had A passion for walking, and rarely 7
should say. suffered from any malady
needing this particula- remedy wfCl g
the witty canon was a diner out. adj
dicted to Rout and other table afhiction.,
and q walk on an empty stomach would
probably have one him a world Of good.
And now ! lay aside my pen for a few
moments In order to wonder what my
own favorite story Is, and nave the usual
difnculty In remembering any stories at
all. Searching my memory. I find that
Lamb comes up first. which IL not unnr.-
ural, for In the stories which most appeal
to me there must he irresponsibllity
rather than malice. Malice Is easier, for
one thing. II the laughter II causes IL
OF Inferior quality, That touch OF gay
nonsense which Lamb had and sydney
smith had Ii worth Ito mel all the brill
liant b~itternesses. This time. too. II IL au-
thentic Lamb. and not Brummagem.
My momentary choice Ia Lambs reply
to the %reproach Of his India House supe-
rior. You always come late to the Of
fce." yes. but see how early I leave -
That could not easily be beaten.
Lamb. however. did not consider thai
his best thing. We have II In evidence
that he thought his not too kindly re-
mark to his friend Hume on the size OF
Hume's family his best Joke but I, for
ZIG uO % hBIcc VIII MN. IluIuc. "
seems. was the father OF a numerous
brood. and he happened once to be 40
III advised as to mention his paternal
achievement. apparently with pride. In
Lambs presence. "One fool" quoted
Lamb. makes many Personally. I
don't much esteem this story. not only
because II Ia a score of a simple crea-
ture. and a rather too facile one At that,
but also because II comes into the cate
CORY of those sayings which the Joker
must himself have reported, or which
the recipient of tho witticism could not
we'll report except resentfully. We a
imagine tho auditor Of the priceless re-
ply. But sec how early I leave" after
recovering from the stunned condition
into which its tremendous irrelevance
and f~oolishness knocked him. hurryins
away In perplexity to report II In all It's
incredibleness to fellow ofncisls: what
on earth do you think that that mad
creature Lamb has Just said to msT"
and so on. But one docs not see Hume
Fastening round to spread that family
Joke. Lamb. or another. must himself
nave done It.
Similarly. when the Austrian Journal
list saphir. who said % many witty
things. met IN enemy In . narrow pas.
sage, and on the enemy rsmarkins. It'll
not make way to let . fool pass" pressed
himself against the wall. saying. But
I will" It must have been eaphir who
took the glad tidinss round Vienna. A
man, said Lamb land proved II. too).
laugh at his OWE Joke but ! think
We always rather prefer that II should
hrst get into currency BY the other fell
lows agency.
And yet, Il that rule were strictly fol-
lowed We should lose too many good
Aaa--- -. ~.~.s, ApssA hssnanVtaN ans~1~
his Jewels indiscriminatsly and does not
rsssrvs them for the hitting ear.
Sir Walter Ralsigh II mean not the
explorer but the Longest knight) has
out that the reason why We have
comparatively 20 few records OF Lambs
Sokcs n that he made them to simple
people, who either did not understand
how Good they were or were not In the
way q SvotinS than. ~ . friend OF
nina who does somsthing IN the wag- |
- line hinseak rsnasts1 saAiy - ne