Talkers Part 14

Arthur and Sidney once met in an evening party at the house of Mr.

Grindell. The company consisted mostly of young ladies and young gentlemen. During the conversation of the evening, in which Sidney took a prominent part, he made an attempt to quote the following line from Ovid, with no other intention than to exhibit his learning:--

"Dulcia non ferimus; succo renovamur amaro,"

in which he made the most glaring blunders.

"Dulcam non farimas, succor amarum reno,"

he said, with the most ostentatious air and bombastic confidence. Two or three of the company could not refrain from laughing at his airs, not to say his blunders.

"What are you laughing at?" inquired Sidney, in his independent tone, and as though he was highly insulted.

"I beg your pardon, Sidney, but I think they were smiling at a mistake or two which you have made in that Latin quotation," said Arthur, quietly.

"Mistake, indeed! I have made no mistake," said Sidney, in an angry tone.

"I think you have," observed Arthur, modestly.

"Show me, then, if you can. I guess that is out of your power," said Sidney, more excited.

"Don't be excited, my friend," said Arthur; "I think I can give the line correctly."

Arthur quoted the line as it occurs in the book. The difference appeared to Sidney; but he would make no acknowledgment. Nor would he give up the exhibition of his academic learning. He thought he would be a match for Arthur and the young gentlemen who seemed to ridicule what _he_ knew they could not mend, so he made another attempt.

"Which of you," he inquired, "can tell me in what part of Horace the following line occurs:--

'Amor improbe non quid pectora mortalia cogis'?"

A faint smile pa.s.sed over the countenance of Arthur, while Bonner, an educated young collegian, could not restrain his risible powers, and broke out in a loud laugh, at the expense of his good manners.

"What's that Bonner laughing at?" asked Sidney, in a manner which betrayed his indignation and chagrin.

"It strikes me," said Skinner, "that that line is very much corrupted in its quotation. It does not seem to be such Latin as is found in the cla.s.sics, even from what I know of them."

"And with all my study of Horace," observed Judson, "I never met with the line in him, even if it was given correctly. And then I think, with Skinner, that it is not correctly quoted. What do you think, Arthur?"

"Of course it is not in Horace," replied Arthur; "nor is it correctly quoted. If Sidney has no objection, I will give the correct words from the right author."

Sidney was sullenly silent.

"In Virgil's 'aeneid,' Book iv., line 412," said Arthur, "the words of which Sidney intends his to be a quotation may be found. They are as follows:--

'Improbe amor, quid non mortalia pectora cogis.'"

"You are quite right, Arthur," said Bonner.

Here the subject ended. A short time after, during the evening, Sidney was observed holding conversation with Miss Boast, a young lady of some pretensions, but of no more than ordinary education. Sidney seemed to be much at home with her in conversation. She gave a willing ear to all his pedantic talk; and he used the opportunity much to his own gratification. He was repeating to Miss Boast a list of his studies in the cla.s.sics, mathematics, history, geology, astronomy, etc., when Arthur walked into that part of the room where they were sitting. He saw that Sidney was recovered from his temper shown in the former conversation, and had subsided into his own natural element, and was pouring into the credulous ear of the young lady his pedantic effusions.

"Are you at all acquainted with Milton's 'Paradise Lost'?" inquired Sidney of Miss Boast.

"I have read a little of it, but it is not my favourite book," she replied.

"But it is an admirable book," said Sidney; "I have read it again and again. Why, I know it almost line by line. It is a grand poem, of course of the tragic style, full of strong sentiment and bold figure. Milton, you know, wrote that poem in German. The translation into English is a good one--incomparably good. I forget who the translator was. Do you not remember those exquisitely fine lines which run thus,--

'Ah, mighty Love----'

Why, now, it is strange I should forget them. Let me see (with his hand to his forehead). Now I have them,

'Ah, mighty Love, that it were inward heat Which made this precious limbeck sweet!

But what, alas! ah, what does it avail!'

I need not repeat any more. This will give you an idea of the style and sentiment of that wonderful poem."

"It is certainly very fine," said the young lady, innocently. "Did you not hear those beautiful lines, Arthur, which Sidney has just quoted from Milton?" asked Miss Boast.

"Yes, I heard them."

"Are they not fine?" said Sidney to Arthur.

He evaded an answer.

"Are you sure that the quotation is from Milton?" inquired Mr. Smith, who was listening to the conversation.

"Certainly," said Sidney.

"Are they, Arthur?" asked Smith, who had his suspicions, and apprehended another display of Sidney's pedantry, and was determined if possible to put a check on his folly.

"If you require me to be candid in my answer," said Arthur, quietly, "I do not think that they do belong to Milton at all."

"Whose are they, then?" asked Sidney, rather petulantly.

"They are Cowley's, to be found in vol. i., p. 132, of his works."

"I never knew that Milton's poem was tragedy, and that he wrote it in German until now," observed Mr. Smith, ironically.

"Who said he did?" asked Arthur.

"Sidney."

"That is new historical fact, if fact it be," said Arthur. "I always thought he wrote it in English, and that the poem was of the epic order."

"I always thought so too," said Smith.

Sidney sat confounded, but not conquered in his fault. He would not admit his error, nor would he cease his pedantic exhibitions. He gave two or three more displays before the party separated, and with similar results. Enough, however, has been given here to show the excessive folly of this habit, and the just ridicule to which it is exposed.