# File log4r/formatter/formatter.rb, line 71
    def format_object(obj)
      if obj.kind_of? Exception
        return "Caught #{obj.type}: #{obj.message}\n\t" +\
               obj.backtrace[0...@depth].join("\n\t")
      elsif obj.kind_of? String
        return obj
      else # inspect the object
        return "#{obj.type}: #{obj.inspect}"
      end
    end