A colleague, who had married a wealthy woman, and who liked to show off, asked Lachmann: “What do you think the addition to my house has cost me?”
“Half,” was the dry, curt answer.
A Grave Joke
When a friend informed him of the death of the minister of finances, Lachmann said seriously: “Yes, death comes easy enough to such as he, but the likes of us must first give up his soul.”
Linné’s Revenge
Linné, the great naturalist, followed the principle of never taking notice of criticism. His bitterest opponent was Browall—a small light beside the great scientist. At first Browall’s behavior was very humble and modest, so Linné called a plant, of which only one species was known at that time “Browallia demissa” (demure or modest Browallia). Later on, after Browall had been advanced, he acted the high and mighty towards Linné, and he, having found a second species of his plant called it, “Browallia elata” (elated Browallia). At this Browall was very angry and wrote a great number of excited articles against Linné, who avenged himself further by naming a third species of the plant “Browallia alienata” (alienated Browallia). In this way he certainly took a lasting revenge, for this anecdote will live as long as botany lives.
Never Drank Water
When the poet Hagedorn was mortally ill, he asked his physician, what his illness was.
“Water, my dear Hagedorn, too much water in your breast.”
“Why, that’s entirely impossible,” replied Hagedorn; “I never drank, in all my life, a whole glass of water.”