Asquith was known for her outspokenness and acerbic wit. A possibly apocryphal but typical story has her meeting the American film actress Jean Harlow and correcting Harlow's mispronunciation of her first name – "No, no; the 't' is silent, as in 'Harlow'."
A dignified silence
The same Oxford memoir from which I drew the Chesterson quotations a few minutes ago mentioned Margot Asquith, second wife of Prime Minister Asquith (1908-1916). Asquith opposed women's suffrage on the ground that "women have no reason, very little humour, hardly any sense of honour... and no sense of proportion." Looking her up on the net, I found a quip that would contradict at least part of her judgment of her own sex, if it indeed happened. (I remember my father relating this story to me some decades ago, though I'd forgotten whom it was about.)
Using cleverness of that caliber for brutality is a perilous business!
ReplyDeleteYes, usually better to keep silent and put it in a story later, pretending that you said it in the original context.
DeleteMaybe PM Asquith's claim about women came from being on the receiving end of that wit for too long, or maybe it was sarcasm.
ReplyDeleteI hope Tex will clarify but after a couple of readings I think the quoted claim is from the second Mrs. Asquith, not PM Asquith. (note the pronouns in the following sentence)
DeleteYikes. Yes, you're right. I just misread it.
Delete- Tom
It's not clear that Asquith said it at all, or who started the story that she did. It may well have been a quip that someone thought up that was too biting to waste, and seemed plausible to attribute to Asquith. Similarly, I'm not sure Gladstone made the remark to Disraeli about dying on the gallows or of a vile disease (depends whether I embrace your principles or your mistress), but over the years people have found it essential to find SOMEONE to attribute it to.
ReplyDelete