because a million words stood in the way!


56

A school-teacher said to Bentley, "Sir, I will make your grandchild as
great a scholar as you are yourself." "How can you do that," replied
Bentley, "when I have forgotten more than you ever knew?"


57

Bentley's clever daughter Joanna once lamented to her father that he had
devoted his time and talents to the criticism of the works of others
instead of writing something original. Bentley remained silent for some
time as if he were turning the matter over in his mind. At last he said
that her remark was quite right; he himself felt that he might have
directed his gifts in some other channel. Earlier in life, nevertheless,
he had done something for the glory of God and the improvement of his
fellow-men (referring to his "Confutation of Atheism"), but afterwards
the genius of the pagans had attracted him, and, _despairing of
attaining their level in any other way_, he had mounted upon their
shoulders so that he might thus be able to look over their heads.


58

Bentley, says Wolf, both as man of letters and individual, was
misunderstood and persecuted during the greater part of his life, or
else praised maliciously.