The Original Mrs. Partington

The ñames of certain great characters are so well known to fame that often littlo or nothing else is known about them. Hoinor is in danger of ha ving been "bom in seven different places at once. Shakspeare's early history is equally authoritativu. Xobody really knowshow old Parr -some sceptical people believing that at'ter all he was only sonio old humbug who pretended to be a great deal older than he really was. And who was Mrs. Partington 'i The old lady's maltreat inent of the English language is proverbial. It inay not be uninteresting, then, to know soraething of the old lady herself. The original Mrs. Partington was a respectable old lady living in Sidmouth in Devonshire. Her cottage was on the boaeh, and the incident on which her fame is based is best told in a passage from the speech of Sydney Smith at Taunton, in the year 1831, on the Lord'a rejeotion of the Reform Bill : " The attempt of the Lords to stop the progresa of reform remind me very forcibly of the great storm at Sidinouth, and of the conductof the excellent Mrs. Vui'tington on that oeoaeion. In the winter of 1824 1 here s t in a great flo sd upon that town - the tide rose to an incredible height, tho waves rushed in upon the houses, and every'thing was threatened with destruction. In the midst of this sublime nd terrible storm Damp Partington, who lived upon the beach, was seen at tho dooi 01 her house, with mop and pattens, trondling hor mop, sqtieezmjj out the sea-water, and vigorously pushing away the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic was roused. Mis. Partington's spirit was up. Uut I need not teil you that the contest vroa unoqual. The Atlantic Ocean beat Mrs. Partinston. She was excellent at a slop or a puddle ; but sho should not have meddlcd with a tempest." This speeoh is reprinted in the collected odition of Sydaev Smitli's works ; and as this is, wo believo, tho first time of Mrp. l'artingt'm's nnmobeing mentionod, tho itnmortality she has eamd must be set down as due to Sydney Smith. "The fact is," said an eldcrly wife, "a man does not. know how tocommonce. I don't wonder," she remarked in conchi:-i,ii." that whpn God made Adam, he wentright to work and aade.a woman H him whattodo."