Note.—Poet Byron also mentions this incident.—H.B.J.
A certain Painter set himself to depict a lovely landscape. "See!" he cried, as he exhibited his canvas to a Passing Stranger, "doth not this my picture resemble the scene with exactitude?"
"Since thou desirest to know," was the reply, "thou seemest to me to have portrayed nothing but a manure heap!"
"And am I to blame," exclaimed the indignant Painter, "if a manure heap chanced to be immediately in front of me?"
Before a Man marrieth a Woman he delighteth to describe unto her all his doings—even the most unimportant.
But, after marriage, he considereth that such talk may savour too much of egotism.
Note.-This is very very shallow. I have never experienced any such compunctiousness with my own wives.—H. B. J.