The Choice Humorous Works, Ludicrous Adventures, Bons Mots, Puns, and Hoaxes of Theodore HookHook, Theodore Edward
General
The Choice Humorous Works, Ludicrous Adventures, Bons Mots, Puns, and Hoaxes of Theodore Hook
Hook, Theodore Edward
English wit and humor
This last was amongst the most elegant affairs of the season--every
thing which could possibly have reference to the profession was
interdicted; black puddings and black strap were banished; and when
the amiable and excellent Mr. Duck, after doing what few Ducks
can do (we mean stuffing himself with sage and onions), called
attention to Non nobis Domine--sung, the newspapers say, "by some
professional vocalists"--the grace was received by the fraternity
with _sootable_ attention; that they did not exactly understand it,
Mr. Duck said was a misfortune, not a fault; but as he could almost
see from the windows the chimneys--(loud cries of Order interrupted
the speaker)--the roof, he meant, of that noble pile, the London
University, he did hope that before many years had gone over their
heads, he should find the younger branches of the profession to which
he had the honour to belong, bringing the dead languages to life, and
conversing _flue_-ntly--(Order, order!)--he meant easily, in Latin
and Greek."
"The immortal memory of Marshal Saxe and Sir Cloudesly Shovel," were
then given by Mr. Figgins, and were shortly followed by the health of
Mr. Brougham, who was expected to have favoured the party with his
presence, but he was unable to get away from the House of Commons.
Mr. Duck felt it necessary to rise, in order to endeavour to do away
with an impression which had got abroad, that the gentlemen of the
profession disliked the introduction of machines to supersede the
necessity of climbing-boys--he repelled the insinuation, although,
added the Honourable Gentleman, "if machines had been invented in
my time, I, perhaps, should not have had the honour of being here,
for I began at the bottom of the chimney and climbed my way to
the very top"--(loud cheers). "I dare say, gentlemen," said Mr.
Duck, "you have heard the story of the humane man who proposed to
supersede the necessity of climbing-boys by letting a goose down the
chimney by a string, which would, by the fluttering of its wings,
effectually clean the whole flue--the lady to whom he proposed this
plan replied that she thought it would be very cruel treatment of the
goose. 'Lord love your eyes, Ma'am,' said the professor, 'if so be
as you are particular about the goose, a couple of ducks will do as
well!'--and, gentlemen, I never hear that professional anecdote but
I think of myself when I was but a duckling, as I may say, and the
laudable ambition into which I climbed and climbed, and rose, as I
may say, like a phonix out of the hashes, until I reached my grand
climacteric."
Mr. Duck sat down amidst shouts of applause.
In the Old Times of yesterday we find the following report of some
part of the entertainment, which we were unfortunate enough to
miss--we take the liberty of borrowing it:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account