STYLES OF HUMOUR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20548, 25 October 1928, Page 7

STYLES OF HUMOUR.

ANGLO-AMERICAN CONTRASTS. SOME GOOD STORIES. An American contributor to the Landmark, the organ of the English-Speaking Union, on the subject of Anglo-American contrasts, repeats some good stories in order to illustrate his contention, which is that, the English maintain a distant attitude. He recalls that when Walter Page, while ‘United States Ambassador in London, urged a British nobleman to visit the United States, the Englishman demurred, saying: “Itis so remote.” To which Page retorted: “ Remote form what? ” This reminds him of the story told concerning the wife of a brewer who had recently been ennobled; she wrote to Mrs John Burns, when Mr Burns was a Cabinet Minister, just before the Great War, inviting Mr and Mrs Burns to dinner, and apologising for not having called previously upon Mrs Burns, and excusing herself on account'of the distance from Grosvenor square to Battersea. To this Mrs Burns (with Mr Burns looking over her shoulder, smiling), replied that they regretted their inability to accept the kind invitation because the distance from Battersea ■to Grosvenor square was the same as from*Grosvenor square to Battersea. In short, San Francisco is as remote from London as London is from San Francisco. At one time it was considered smart to ask the question : “ When is a joke not a joke? ” to follow it with: ‘‘When you’ tell it to an Englishman.” This question (comments the .writer of the article) is a serious matter! It has caused, lam told, many divorces, under the heading of ‘‘ incompatibility of temper.” An American was telling how his friend Smith from San Francisco was engaged in seeing the sights of London from the top of an omnibus. The driver told Smith that the dignified passenger on the pack seat was the Archbishop of Canterbury, whereupon Mr Smith goes’to hini and asks: “Are you the Archbishop of Canterbury? ” To which the supposed ecclesiastic replies: “ And what the hell if I am?” Smith returns to the driver and reports; “ Yes, he says he is.” Whereupon an Englishman, hearing the story, remarks seriously: “ I beg to assure you the Archbishop of Canterbury would never use such language.” American humour is based upon gross exaggeration and crass incongruity. To speak of a high building as a “skyscraper” is typically American; the tall structure is not a cloud-piercer—that would not suffice; it scrapes the very, firmament—a gorgeous exaggeration! Our airmen “ hop ” across the Atlantic. Such exaggeration. does not make a humorous appeal to an Englishman; he does not “ get it.” When Sir Owen Seaman, the editor of Punch, was crossing the Atlantic—So .he told me—a fellow passenger won three auction pools in succession, whereupon somebody exclaimed: “If that fellow fell overboard he wouldn’t get wet! ” Because, of course, he was so lucky. The editor of the centre of gravity of the British Empire remarked to me in a tone of surprise: “And everybody I laughed.” Later he informed me that he liked the Americans whom he had met, but, he added, “ they have a queer sense of humour.” Yes, they have—but they get a lot of fun out of it. A contrast in humour may be borrowed from the amenities of telephoning. New York Life depicts a father about to use that, instrument of irritation, whereupon mother asks Johnny to go into the yard while father apostrophises the operator. London Punch shows a gentleman who says meekly: “Central, please tell me what particular wrong number 1 should ask for in order to get Mayfair 1234.” Speaking of meekness, it will be remembered that Mark Twain, on his return from a voyage round the world, remarked: “ I observe that the British are mentioned in the Bible—* Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.’ ” The Englishman derives as much humqur out of under-statement or excessive moderation of speech as -the American by addiction to the other extreme. Thus Mr Robert Jones is described by our scribblers as “ the most wonderful golfer of all times,” whereas Mr Bernard Darwin, writing in The Times, might state that* Mr Jones, with a little practice, could develop into an excellent player. When Mr William Tilden won the championship at Wimbledon several years ago a reporter in the London Daily Telegraph wrote :• “He plays tennis very well indeed.” It is not good form to rhapsodise. Two Englishmen were gazing at a magnificent panorama in the Bernese Oberland—high peaks, snowfields, glaciers, forests —a grand picture. One of them remarked: “Not bad that.” To which the other responded: “ It’s all right old man; but vou needn’t rave about it like a bally poet! ” .. TO-DAY’S MEETINGS. Coronation Hall, Maori Hill, 8 p.m.— Mr H. L. Tapley. , A „ Foresters’ Hall, Albany street, 8 p.m.— Mr R. Washer’s Hall, Kaikorai Talley, 8 p.m. -Mr C. M. Moss. Lovells Flat, 3 p.m.; Hillend, 8 p.m Mr J. Stephens. _ r . , . „ Chatto Creek, 12 p.ni.; Matakanui, o p.m.; Ophir. 8 p.m.—Mr J, Ritchie. North-East Valley Town Hall, 8 p.m Mr J. W. Munro. Oddfellows’ Hall, Caversham, 8 p.m Mr C. Todd. , . Beaumont, 11 a .in.? \\ eatherstones, 3 p.m.: Lawrence. 8 p.m. —Mr W. A. Bodkin. Waipori Falls and Dam. —Mr N. H. Campbell. Coronation Hall, St. Kilda, 8 p.m.—Mr R. W. Hall. „ , Stonv Creek School, 4 p.m.; Benhar, 7 •p.m.—Mr F. Waite. Nzapara, 8 p.m. —Mr E, P. Leo.