The Bishop Speaks (Briefly)
Information
1882: The charismatic and self-effacing Bishop of Peterborough, William Connor Magee, gave an after-luncheon speech on this day at the opening of an 'Industrial and Fine Art Exhibition'. The chairman introduced him as 'an orator and divine whose name will live in the annals of nineteenth-century Peterborough'. The bishop began by acknowledging the references to the oratorical powers of the individual who was about to address them, and said that they would be glad to know that oratory on that occasion was limited, and that he was not about to forfeit his title to that praise by addressing to them a long speech. There were, he said, two facts connected with these proceedings agreeably present in his mind: one was there was no spare room in the exhibition; and the other was that there was no spare time at the luncheon. The result would be that they would have the pleasure of seeing a very interesting and very large exhibition of successful handicraft and a very limited exhibition of speechcraft. What the guests would enjoy that day would be the spectacle of a great deal of very good work and a very limited amount of very excellent speaking. (Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury)
Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.