Sheridan

: Miscellaneous.

This distinguished wit, upon being asked by a young member of
parliament how he first succeeded in establishing his fame as an orator,

replied, "Why, sir, it was easily effected. After I had been in St.

Stephen's Chapel a few days, I found that four-fifths of the house were

composed of country squires, and great fools; my first effort, therefore,

was by a lively sally, or an ironical remark, to make them laugh; that

laugh effaced from their stupid pates the recollection of what had been

urged in opposition to my view of the subject, and then I whipped in an

argument, and had all the way clear before me."



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