Words and Phrases.
“yyiLLING TO LEARN” writes: Will you please tell me who the Admirable Crichton was, and would you kindly say whether it can be regarded as a reproach not to know the meaning of such a name applied to any person in modern conversation? The Admirable Crichton, or Creighton, was a youthful prodigy of the sixteenth century, who took his M.A. degree at the age of fourteen. His real name was James Crichton, but he was called the Admirable by Urquhart. It is doubtful if any learned, person would worry his head nowadays about, allusions like this, although in mid-Victorian times it might have been regarded as a scurvy thing not to know of the Admirable Crichton and half-a-dozen other celebrities or prodigies that are now fading into oblivion. Modern youth is certainly “ dumb ” enough; but it need not be ashamed of its ignorance of phrases that are often used by wiseacres merely to season dull conversation. And Crichton was not so admirable, after all, for he is reputed to have been killed in a brawl in Mantua in 1585. TOUCHSTONE.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19341001.2.77
Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20424, 1 October 1934, Page 6
Word Count
183Words and Phrases. Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20424, 1 October 1934, Page 6
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