Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-10
JOKES LIVED FOR 200 YEARS
speakers Still Tell Anecdotes Coined
10y Horace WaIpolc.

The two hundredth anniversary of q
man to whom the after-diuner speak
er is greatly indebted occurred recent
ly. but uhe occasion passed without
even the most casual mention.
1t was not Joe Miller, hut that ele-
giant d.lettante Horace Walpole who
was the father of many of our most
Successful modern anecdotes, and his
birth occurred on September "a, ac-
cording to the old style calendar. If
corrected as Franklin's and Washing
tons have been II would bc advanced
eleven days to October 3.
The son OF the great British prime
minister, the "c0rrupter of Parlia-
mcnts," Sir Robert Walpole, Horace
was asle 10 devote his days to travel
with the poet Gray and to arranging
works for his private press at Straw
berry HILL
lie was the most enter tanning letter
writer whose works have been col,
lected. not excepting that other marvel
pf epistoldTy art, Madam de Sevlgne.
His Anecdotes Of Painting" and his
Catalogue of Royal and Noble Auth
Ors' at one time were IT, be found in
every senueman's library"
One Of his favorite stories has been
One of his favorite stories has been
used a good many times since he first
iously adapted to meet present re-
Quirements Of the speakers who fail
10 mention its real author.
An OFT Told Story.
In orde, to give his impression of a
ministry that he held in low regard
for its inactivity and without launch
Ing into n TRADE against IL. Walpole
told this story illustrative OF the sit
uation:
A master % a ship hearing a noise,
called out, "Who, is there"
"Will, sir answered the boy.
What are you doins?"
Nothing"
'Is Tom there?'
Yes, SIR
What are YOU doing, Tom?"
Helping VIII, sir"
Perhaps you recognize the type.
Well. il is original with man who
was born two centuries ago.
Walpole was n gossip and a creator
OF gossip. He loved an anecdotF
ubout somebody of importance. There
! fore he never neglected TO tell anec-
dotes about himself
lie was the author OF mos' re
maTkahle Gothic romance, "1'he Cas-
tle OF Otranto," which is one of thu
w:erdest tales ever p9nnod.
II wrote it," he relates in eight
days, or rather in eight nights, for my
| general hours OF composition are from
~ o'clock at night until in the
aorning, when ! am sure not TO be
disturbed hy Vistants. While ! am
writing | take several cups of coffee.
Was Careless of Fame.
There Is something very modern in
this little literary confession. Those
cups of coffee are most familiar
He had that apparently indolenI
| carelessncSs of fame that made him
eNclaim that he was no aCthor. my
catalogue of royal and noble authors, y
he remarks. almost any bookseller
could have drawn up. My chief com
pilation. the 'Anecd otes of Painting ir
| England is Mr.. Nertue's work, not
mine" Ut he supplied the index and
made the arranSemcnt.
Ile had never been to Otranto and
when a lady presented him with 4
drawing Of the actual castle that wa,
there he admitted that he did no'
en- know there was a Castle o. OF
/ ranto.
When I wrote It," he told Lady
! Craven, who gave him the drawing
Il wanted n name OF some place ir
! the south of Italy and Otranto struci
me on The map"
| Without some of Horace Walpole'
| gossip ana anecdotes the world OF the
II Eighteenth century would have been 4
much more sor1hre place TO dwell In
/ That some Of the things he wrote ant
said were good is sustained by the fac
Il that they are still in use and the al
torations that time would necessarily
t.nulro tbpv,