A YOUNG MAN, who was a student in one of our colleges, being very vain
of his knowledge of the Latin language, embraced every opportunity that
offered, to utter short sentences in Latin before his more illiterate
companions. An uncle of his, who was a seafaring man, having just
arrived from a long voyage, invited his nephew to visit him on board of
the ship. The young gentleman went on board, and was highly pleased with
everything he saw. Wishing to give his uncle an idea of his superior
knowledge, he tapped him on the shoulder, and pointing to the windlass,
asked, "Quid est hoc?" His uncle, being a man who despised such vanity,
took a chew of tobacco from his mouth, and throwing it in his nephew's
face, replied, "Hoc est _quid_."