S.A. Bent, comp. Familiar Short Sayings of Great Men. 1887.

Henry Luttrell

[“A wit among lords and a lord among wits;” the friend of Rogers, Sydney Smith, Lord Holland, etc.; poet, wit, and author; born 1770; wrote “Memoirs of Tom Moore;” died 1851.]

I dislike monkeys: they always remind me of poor relations.

He also said, “Mr. ——’s face always reminds me of boiled mutton and poor relations.”

When asked if Mr. —— was not on one occasion very disagreeable, he replied, “He was as disagreeable as the occasion would admit.”

Tom Moore said of an acquaintance, that the dye of his old trade of a hatter had become ingrained in his face; “Darkness that may be felt,” remarked Luttrell.

His illustration of English climate was, “On a fine day, looking up a chimney; on a rainy day, like looking down it.” One foreigner remarked of London that “it has weather, but no climate;” and another, that it had “nine months winter, and bad weather the rest of the year.”

Samuel Rogers said of Luttrell and Sydney Smith, “After Luttrell, you remember the good things he said; after Smith, you merely remember how much you laughed.”

Of a female aëronaut, who, when last seen, was still ascending, Luttrell suggested, “Handed out by Enoch and Elijah.”

When told that the Bishop of —— would be present at a certain dinner-party to which he was himself invited, he objected: “I do not mix well with the dean, but I shall positively effervesce with the bishop.”

He was told by Lady Holland to make room at table for a late comer: “Certainly,” he replied, “it must be made, for it does not exist.”

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