ARCHIBALD FORSES AND HIS CANDID CRITIC.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 66, 3 February 1883, Page 3

ARCHIBALD FORSES AND HIS CANDID CRITIC.

Archibald Forbes tells the following good story of his early expen-nces as a lecturer : — " It is bad enough to realise that you are a failure, but it is quite too harrowing t» be told so to your face, and all the more harrowing when your informant does not know whom he is addressing. Once, long ago, I gave an isolated lecture in Miincliester on the Carlist war in Spain irora which I had recently returned. It was a poor subiect, it was a bad lectn-e, and it was a worse lecturer. 1 felt rather miserable as I stool in the auditorium, trying t> converse with the secretary, while tbe tag end of the audience slowly dispersed. A young gantleman sauntered up, and, not recognising me as the lecturer, addressed the secetaf y 'I n - fernally poor lecturer,' this friendly creature observed. l Dont you think so V he asked the secretary. That official remained dumb in embarassment. 'Dont you think so, sir?' said he, addressing me. ' I quite agree with you 1 was my reply/ made in sad truth. '01 course it was,' he continued. 'We all know the fellowcan write first rate, but he ought to Stick. to his pen and not try to lecture, for he can't lecture worth a blnnk Isn't that so sir?' again addressing me as 9 previous sympathiser. Again I expressed agreement with -him, and he^was proceeding with detailed criti cisms of aa emphatic ''character* when the sscretarv, in a cold perspiration, clutched hold of him, dragged him to me srde, and wbiipereu 1 something to him.. Uhe next thiDg I spw of the frank and mgjppiou^. critic was hie fiutterfng'cWt tails as he dashed headlong frpAngUie jiaii : He could not rally himself even to apologise; and, besides, what ha^hja t^apolip^ise for?"