This story has more of light banter in it than any other novel of George Eliot's, and less of tenderness and pathos.

Steinmetz's good-natured banter had come back to his memory, during the last few days, in a new light.

" I sometimes won a jury over by a little good-natured banter, and often annoyed Chief Justice Campbell when I woke him up with laughter.

Both of these brothers possessed a keen sense of humor and delighted in playful banter.

The weak thin voice of Cassius Chaereas, tribune of the praetorian cohort, had marked him out for the coarse and calumnious banter of the imperial buffoon; and he determined to avenge himself, and at the same time rid the world of a monster.

"Why, mother, what's all this?" she began, in a tone of gentle banter, as she stroked the helpless hands.

Their letters "never pretend to be more than the gay and cynical banter of those who bring to the perils of life at the Front an incurable habit of humour, and they are typical of that brave spirit, essentially English, that makes light of the worst that fate can send."

Pulci, who is the first genuine romantic poet, in point of time, after Dante, seems, at first sight, in the juxtaposition, like farce after tragedy; and indeed, in many parts of his poem, he is not only what he seems, but follows his saturnine countryman with a peculiar propriety of contrast, much of his liveliest banter being directed against the absurdities of Dante's theology.

This delicate banter went on for twenty minutes, very much to Schreiermeyer's inward satisfaction, for it proved that at least four members of his company were on good terms with him and with each other; for when they had a grudge against him, real or imaginary, they became sullen and silent in his presence, and eyed him with the coldly ferocious expression of china dogs.

he asked, keenly and without any of his frequent banter.

" No writer of verses likes to have fun poked at them, even in the form of friendly banter, but Lady Mary seems to have borne the affliction admirably.

"I suppose," the old man continued, presently, and in all he said there was a tone of affectionate banter that quite won Henry's heart, "that you're still as set on literature as ever.

Nothing has been changed in this vein of humorous banter since Shakespeare died.

And in specific matters the same quality showed itself in an accuracy of statement, a precision of conduct, that contrasted curiously with his usual hyperbolic banter and his loose lounging manner.

What a wild improbable banter I put upon you, some three years since of Will Weatherall having married a servant-maid!

"That is all right, Rolfe," he said in a tone of kindly banter.

[708] My ingenuously relating this occasional instance of intemperance has I find been made the subject both of serious criticism and ludicrous banter.

If Lord Byron ever uttered such words as are here attributed to him"I am still an Atheist"it must have been in a fit of the most malignant obstinacy that ever distorted and disgraced the human mindor perhaps in that spirit of malicious banter with which he was accustomed to torment his best and nearest friends.

This remark would probably prompt Mr. Flower to the indulgence of a form of matrimonial banter which was not unlike the endearments he bestowed upon his horses, and which, when you knew that he loved the little quaint woman with all his heart, you were able to translate into more customary modes of affection.

"We don't want to spoil your wife's business, Hillshe's likely to need it," he said, with cruel official banter.

All this school-girlish jesting, the perpetual and rather tiresome banter, was a playing down to Miss Nussey.

The design of this paper, in the New Monthly Magazine, is by no means novel; but the fine, cutting satirethe pleasant, lively banter on our vices and follieswhich pervades every page of the article, is a set-off to the political frenzy and the literary lumber of other Magazines of the month.

He succumbed to this radiant banter and, covering every crevice that might emit a ray of light, he let us linger on long after closing time.

Reynolds was a good-hearted, active young fellow, with a biting tongue, not only given to many oaths, but likewise skilled in the rough, coarse banter so popular with the backwoodsmen.

To this day in the Isles of Greece ruined girls seek to lure back their lovers with charms differing but little from that sung by the Syracusan to Lady Selene, and the popular poetry alike of Italy and Greece is full of those delicate touches of refined sentiment that in Theocritus appear so incongruous with the rough coats and rougher banter of the shepherds.