THE FLOWERS OF WIT, OR A CHOICE COLLECTION OF BON MOTS, BOTH ANTIENT AND MODERN, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL REMARKS. BY HENRY KETT, AUTHOR OF THE ELEMENTS OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE COMPLETE IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. 1825. THE FLOWERS OF WIT. PART I. (Continued.) Bon Mots referred to their Authors, and the Names of those Authors alphabetically arranged. WILLIAM PITT. 472. THE fashionable hours of the present times were neatly censured by him. 'Mr. Pitt,' said the duchess of Gordon, 'I wish you to dine with me at ten this evening.' 'I must decline the honour,' said the premier, for I am engaged to sup with the bishop of Lincoln at nine.' 6 473. Pray,' said the same facetious lady, ' Mr. Pitt, as you know every thing that is moving in the political world, tell me some news.' 'I am sorry, madam,' said the discreet premier, I cannot oblige you, as I have not yet read the papers of the day.'` 474. This great statesman was known, when retired from public business into the circle of his friends, to in dulge in light and playful conversation. He even condescended to punning. When enjoying himself with a convivial party at Walmer Castle, the expected invasion of the French from the opposite shores was talked of, and one of his friends asked him' What dependence can you place upon your Cinque-Port volunteers ? for you know some of them are millers, and others are custom-house officers.' 'O,' said Pitt, these are "he very men in whose military talents I can confide: every miller is a marshal Saxe, and every custom-house officer is a Cæsar.' · 475. The duchess of Gordon expressed great pleasure at meeting him after a long absence, and asked him many questions. Among the rest- Pitt,' said she, ' have you talked as much nonsense as you used to do, since we last met?' 'Madam,' he replied, 'I have not heard so much.' 476. Although not a profound classical scholar, he was sufficiently conversant with some of the best Latin authors, to make a most happy and impressive application of passages in their works to subjects in debate. He was one day very closely pressed in the house of commons by Mr. Fox, to avow what was the precise object of the cabinet ministers in the war against France, and particularly, if it had an immediate reference to the restoration of the Bourbon family to the throne of their ancestors. Mr. Pitt candidly replied, With respect to myself, I have no hesitation to declare to the honourable gentleman, that as far as I am concerned, such a specific and definite object as that which he names, is the favourite subject of my thoughts; it is the darling object of my ambition, and its accomplishment would constitute the greatest glory of my life-To adopt the words of Æneas: Me si fata meis paterentur ducere vitam Reliquias colerem; Priami tecta alta manerent; 477. Impromptu on seeing the statue of Mr. Pitt placed above all the monuments in Westminster Abbey ; - See the just image of his noble mind, Dead, as alive, he soars o'er all minkind.' CHRISTOPHER PITT, THE POET. 478. BENSON, who wrote a pamphlet to expose Dryden's Translation of Virgil, was fond of the alliteration for which Pitt was remarkable. Pitt thought it an excellence far less considerable than Benson did; ' But,' said he, since you like it so well, this couplet upon cardinal Wolsey will not displease you : 'Begot by butchers, but by bishops bred, How high his honour holds his haughty head.' PLATO. THIS Sublime and visionary philosopher adorned the simple precepts of his master Socrates with the flowers of his eloquence. His Dialogues are subtle and verbose in the extreme; and his treatise on a republic is a romance; of his acuteness in conversation, there are satisfactory evidences. 479. Plato was asked, when he thought all the people of the world would be happy. He replied, Either when wise men are kings, or kings are wise men.' 480. Diogenes paying Plato a visit, trod on his rich carpets with his dirty feet. See,' said he, 'how I trample on the pride of Plato.' True,' said Plato, 'but with greater pride.' PLUTARCH. 481. His advice to the unfortunate is very ingenious, * Virg. Æn. 4. |