Book Description:
THE IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW PREFACE ONE or two friends to whom I showed these papers in MS. having observed that they were not half bad and some of my relations having promised to buy the book, if it ever came out, I feel I have no right to longer delay its issue. But for this, as one may say, public demand, I perhaps should not have ventured to offer these mere idle thoughts of mine as mental food for the English speaking peoples of the earth. What readers ask now a days in a book is that it should improve, instruct and elevate. This book wouldnt elevate a cow. I cannot conscientiously recommend it for any useful purposes whatever. All I can suggest is, that wh nyo u get tired of reading the best hundred books, you may take this up for half an hour. It will be a change. CONTENTS ON BEING HARD UP . ON BEING IN THE BLUES . ON VANITY AND VANITIES . ON GETTING ON IN THE WORLD . ON BEING IDLE . ON BEING IN LOVE . ON THE WEATHER . ON CATS AND DOGS . ON BEING SHY . ON BABIES . ON EATING AN D DRINKING . ON FURNISHE A D PA RTMENTS. . ON DRESS AND DEPORTMENT ON MEMORY. . . . . Page . I1 23 33 47 59 71 85 . I01 . I21 I35 I49 . 165 . 181 I97 The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow ON BEING HARD UP IT is a most remarkable thing. I sat down with the full intention of writing something clever and original but for the life of me I cant think of anything clever and original at least, not at this moment. The only thing I can think about now is being hard up. I suppose having my hands in my pockets has made me think about this, I always do sit with my hands in my pockets, except when I am in the company of my sisters, my cousins, or my aunts and they kick up such a shindy I should say expostulate so eloquently upon the subjectthat I have to give in and take them out my hands I mean. The chorus to their objections is that it is not gentlemanly. I am hanged if I car, see why. I could understand its not being considered gentlemanly to put your hands in other peoples pockets especially by the other people, but how, 0 ye sticklers for what looks this and what looks that, can putting his hands in his own pockets make a man less gentle Perhaps you are right, though. Now I come to think of it, I have heard some people grumble most savagely when doing it. But they were mostly old gentlemen. We young fellows, as a rule, are never quite at ease unless we have our hands in our pockets. We are awkward and shifty...
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