The Wit of Curran*

Mr. Nolan having one day expressed to
Counselor Alfred Pagelow his opinion that
the late Recorder Smythe was a very able judge
but altogether too severe, Mr. Pagelow was en-
abled to recall some anecdotes of Curran, the
famous Irish barrister and wit, that had some
bearing on the subject under discussion.
Your strictures on Justice Smythe, said he,
remind me of an incident told of Curran. A
certain Irish judge whose disposition may be
guessed from his nickname of ** the hanging
judge " once said to the witty barrister at the
dinner table :



THE BARRISTER. 249

" Pray, Mr. Curran, is that hung beef beside
you ? If it is, I will try it."

" If you try it, my lord, it is sure to be hung,"
replied Curran.
Curran had a horror of any one not possessed
of a sense of humor. Rising once to cross-ex-
amine a witness before a learned judge who
could not comprehend a jest, Curran observed
that he began to laugh before a single question
had been asked.
" What are you laughing at ? " asked Curran,
" what are you laughing at ? Let me tell you
that a laugh without a joke is like — is like "

" Like what, Mr. Curran ? " interposed the
judge, imagining he was at fault.
** Just exactly, my lord, like a contingent re-
mainder without any particular estate to sup-
port it."

Curran could be terribly severe without
eliminating his ready wit. I remember read-
ing that shortly after he was called to the bar,
the following passage at arms took place be-
tween the young counsel and Judge Robinson,
who was the author of a number of stupid



250 THE BARRISTER.
