CLERICAL WIT.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 17, 9 July 1920, Page 15

CLERICAL WIT.

From the frequency and persistency with which Sydney Smith is quoted one would think he is the only wit the religious community has ever produced. What a pity a hetter record was not kept of the table talk of that prime wag, the Rev. R. H. Barham, author of the "Ingoldsby Legends." One who knew him ohserves : "He was learned with Bishop Copleston, humorous with Sydney Smith, jocular with Theodore Hook, facetious with Edward Cannon of the R-oyal Chapel." W. S. Gilbert knew his "Ingoldsby," I feel snre, and picked up more then a trick or two from the reverend rhymist. Read the books of the Gilhert and Sullivan operas, now enjoying a West-end revival, and yon'll appreciate the fact that Barham was in the field before Gilbert . — And il 'mongst the laity Unseemly gaiety Sometimes betrayed an occ:tsional taint or two, At once all the clerics went into hysterics, While scaroely a convent-but boasted a saint or two. I dou't suppose Barham's novels, "Baldwin" and "Cousin Nipholas," exist anywhere except in the British Museum Library. He was paid £20 for "Baldwin," and promise of "certain publishers' future advantages," whidi Theodore Hook wittingly designated as "contingencies that never happen." I wonder where one could 'get a copy of Ba-ham's "Life," written by his son ? There must be some gems of liumour in it. "I have been fortunate," says A. C. Benson, "in the course of. my life in knowing, more or loss intnnately, several em•irien t priests." And yet he tells us not a word about the Temple, who followed his father in the arch-bishopric, and whom he mnst have met quite often. Many are the tales told of Archbishop Temple's grim liumour. A familiar one is the sprig of nobility (I have heard it was Lord Randolph Churchill) who called on him one day. . "Take a chair," said Temple, gruffly, on his visitors -entrance. (He was the Bishop of London.) "Pardon me, your Lordship," said the voung man, a litt'.e hur.t by this brusqueness, "but I am Lord "Oh," was the retort, "in that case, take two chairs." "Two things," once obseiwed Temple, "I invaxiably encounter when I go anywhere for a Confirmation — 'The Chupeh's One Foimdation' and cold chicken. And I detest both." The present Bishop of London is the squI of frankness. To att audience he once remaxked : "Because my official salary is ten thousand a year, I am presumed to be very well off. As a matter of fact, I am so ghort of money that I have been obliged to raise some on my life policy." As for Spurgeon. an article could he . devoted to his humour. I will content myself with giving one instance of his caustic wit. A young minister of great promise had preuched, and aJterwards Spurgeon congratulated him on his performance. Much elated, the young man observed : "And I composed my discourse in two hours, Mr Spurgeon." "Did you?" quietly remarked the great man. "It took me two days to compose."