human
And how old may your mother be?
gpt
My mother is ninety-two.
human
And is she well and hearty?
gpt
My mother, he replied,
human
She not only motors, the layman pursued,
gpt
I am sorry to say, said the Archdeacon,
human
Ha!
gpt
But, the Archdeacon continued,
human
My mother is a most accomplished and assiduous knitter,
gpt
No doubt, no doubt, the Archdeacon agreed;
human
With glasses--yes,
gpt
Ha! exclaimed the Archdeacon,
human
I thought so. Now my dear mother can still read the smallest print without glasses.
gpt
And more, the Archdeacon went on,
human
That's all very well, said the other,
gpt
She can hear all that I say to her,
human
Ah! but you probably raise your voice, and she is accustomed to it. Could she hear a stranger? Could she hear me?
gpt
Are you trying to assure us that your mother is not in the least bit deaf?
human
Well, the Archdeacon conceded,
gpt
I could not go so far as to say that her hearing is still perfect.
human
In other words, he said,
gpt
She uses a trumpet, Sir? Admit it.
human
Now and then, said the Archdeacon,
gpt
I knew it! exclaimed the other.
human
My mother can hear every word. She goes to the theatre too. Now your mother would have to go to the cinema if she wished to be entertained.
gpt
My mother, said the Archdeacon,
human
(he pronounced it ki-neema);
gpt
My mother is young enough to be interested in anything, said the other.
human
And there is not one of her thirty-eight grandchildren of whose progress she is not kept closely informed.
gpt
How many grandchildren did you say? the Archdeacon inquired.
human
I didn't quite catch.
gpt
Thirty-eight,
human
My mother, he said,
gpt
he turned to me,
human
I should not like to decide, I said.
gpt
I am--fortunately perhaps for your mothers--no Solomon. My verdict is that both of you are wonderfully lucky men.
human
I'VE GOT CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER, AN INCIPIENT CARBUNCLE ON MY NECK, INFLAMMATION OF THE DUODENUM, SEPTIC SORE THROAT AND GENERAL PROSTRATION.
gpt
WELL, AND HOW ARE YOU?
human
Grey African Parrot ... every question fully answered; £10 or offers.
gpt
for in the interval Mr. BUCKLE has been able to enrich his work with a wealth of new material. This includes DISRAELI'S correspondence with QUEEN VICTORIA during his two Premierships, and the still more remarkable letters that he wrote to the two favoured sisters, ANNE, Lady CHESTERFIELD, and SELINA, Lady BRADFORD, during the last eight years of his life. To one or other of them he wrote almost every day, and from the sixteen hundred letters that have been preserved Mr. BUCKLE has selected with happy discretion a multitude of passages which throw a vivid light upon the political events of the time and upon DISRAELI'S own character. Whereas the first four volumes of the biography might be likened to a good sound Burgundy, thanks to these letters the last two sparkle and stimulate like a vintage champagne. As we read them we seem to be present at the scenes described, to overhear the discussions at the Cabinet, to catch a glimpse of the actors _en déshabillé_. Mr. BUCKLE says that
human
Disraeli, from first to last, regarded his life as a brightly tinted romance, with himself as hero. In one of his letters to Lady BRADFORD he says,
gpt
I live for Power and the Affections. A poseur, no doubt, he was, but not a charlatan. His industry was amazing and his insight almost uncanny.
human
I know not why Japan should not become the Sardinia of the Mongolian East,