Hawaii Holomua, Volume I, Number 49, 14 November 1893 — A Brilliant Retort. [ARTICLE]

A Brilliant Retort.

Aftor dinner speaking is an art. and, like many other arts, it.s excellence has mueh to do with the mood of the artist. Some of tbe best of our afterdinner speakers sometiraes fail, bnt it is not often that fuilure resnlts in the enricbment of the world’s store of epigram. as it did in the case of Lord Erskine manv years ago. W hen Lord Erskine was made a member o£ that highly honorable body, the Fishmonger's Company of London, he made an after-dinner speech on tbe occasion of his first appearance among thera as a member. Upon his return he said to a friend: “I spoke ill to-day, and stammered and hesitated ia tho opening.” “You certainly fioundered,” was the reply, “bnt I thought you did so in compliment to tha fish-mongers"'— {Harper'a Bazar)