THE CAMBRIDGE OBSERVER MAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2760, 22 March 1890, Page 2

THE CAMBRIDGE OBSERVER MAN.

TO THK EDITOR. Sir,—Mr R. B. Fitzpatrick, commonly known as the " Cambridge Observer Man," wrote to you last week, endeavouring to correct a paragraph that I forwarded, and which appeared in last Thursday's issue. He asks ma to hear both sides of the question before again mentioning his doings. In the instance referred to I heard neither side, but got my information from an independent witness, as stated in the paragraph. I have now heard Mr Fitzpatrick s account of the fracas, and find that even from his own showing, every word I sent was correct. He " chipped in" of his own free will, was wounded and then fled ; such is his version. Now that was all I said about it, and I fail to understand what more he could want, unless he wished me to publish that lie marked his fair opponent across the face with a switch. If that is it, I now make the amende honorable by giving the fact publicity. lam well aware that Mr Fitzpatrick professes to be a literary geni' ■ ; bnt I would remind him -.—Nullum magum iugenium sine mixtura dementiae, i.e. Never is there, never does there appear, a great genius without some tinge of insanity, maduesa. I am no genius and therefore would say to him '• 0 major, tandem parcas, insane, minorio ; (O sovereign madman I abstain from taxing the faults of one who comes so far short of thee in madness.) or as the poets put it: — " Thou mightier foul, inferior idiots spare. ' Perhaps the latter inteipretalion will suit him best, as he has lately added the manufacture of doggerel to his other numerous aocomplishmets. He dearly loves Latin and seems to consider it infra dig. not to put a quotation or two in his letters, so I hope he will pardon me for having infringed his patent. Happy thought ! When Mr Fitzpatrick wishes to give anyone a blackguarding in the street —as he did me the morning the paragraph appeared—it would be well for him to do it in Latin, he would then keep outside the pale of the 1 aw, as witnesses would not understand it. Unfortunately he addressed me in English, but not of the choicest description and therefore rendered himself amenable to tho law.—l am, etc.. TUB Camuiudub RBPORTEH.