He often ridiculed the people who use obsolete and uncommon words in their lectures. One of these produced a bit of Attic purism in answer to some question he had put. ‘My dear sir,’
he said, ‘the date of my question is to-day; that of your answer is temp. Bell. Troj.'

 A friend asking him to come to the temple of Asclepius, there to make prayer for his son, ‘Poor deaf Asclepius!’ he exclaimed; 'can he not hear at this distance?’