If I were to say that you were guilty of the supreme blasphemy of looking at that tree and not seeing in it a new religion, a special revelation of God, you would simply say I was a mystic, and think no more about me.
But if"-- and he lifted a pontifical hand--"if I say that you cannot see the humour of that tree, and that I see the humour of it--my God! you will roll about at my feet." He paused a moment, and then resumed.
"Yes; a sense of humour, a weird and delicate sense of humour, is the new religion of mankind! It is towards that men will strain themselves with the asceticism of saints.

Exercises, spiritual exercises, will be set in it.

It will be asked, 'Can you see the humour of this iron railing ?' or 'Can you see the humour of this field of corn?
Can you see the humour of the stars?
Can you see the humour of the sunsets ?' How often I have laughed myself to sleep over a violet sunset." "Quite so," said Mr.Barker, with an intelligent embarrassment.
"Let me tell you another story.

How often it happens that the M.P.'s for Essex are less punctual than one would suppose.

The least punctual Essex M.P., perhaps, was James Wilson, who said, in the very act of plucking a poppy--" Lambert suddenly faced round and struck his stick into the ground in a defiant attitude.
"Auberon," he said, "chuck it.