LORD ROSEBERY’S LITTLE JOKE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4259, 19 January 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

LORD ROSEBERY’S LITTLE JOKE

Lord Eosoberry enlivened the last meeting of the Scottish History Society, in Edinburgh, with a. sally of wit at the expense of the newspapers tint are trying to'convince us that it is hardly possible to exist without a certain bulky work in many volume?, fie said: Without any wish to disparage that work, because 1 say''! have always religiously purchased it, anti without nnv wish to acquire .statislic., of the number of people who already possess it, and who daily peruse it, I feel creeping over me (ho conviction that it is indispensable to life, that it- supercede;-; ail other sources of information, and in future the sine qua non of a- library will be the possession of the “Encyclopaedia Britannica.” .1 begin to see creeping over your faces a kind of suspicion that I am trying to advertise this work, if

think a moment’s reflection will convince you that it is quite unnecessary. I open my letter-bag. and I find specimens'- for binding the “Encyclopaedia Britanaica” ; 1 open, another envelope, which contains some architectural designs which inf crest me extremely until I see it is a book, case for enshrouding the “Encyclopaedia” ; and, weary of my correspondence., I turn to my newspapers, and f find that in every column 1 cm cxhortc-d, as my last chance in this life—the rands are running out, I am fold, and T expect to, find some serious political development—but 1 am fold that I must take the last moment that remains to me. or.else I may go down to my grave without tko “Encyclopaedia Britannic?./’ I think I. am justified in aayiug that, if all this be true, and there is hardly a periodical I take up that does not invite me to,, this alluring purchase—if this be true, I think wo may look forward tn the speedy end of these societies, and that this interesting work will be _ substituted for them. Until that milieu, nium comes I hare great pleasure in presiding over- such, a society- as this and in moving the adoption of its report.