two kinds; ludicrous images, and ludicrous combinations of things that have little or no natural relation.

Ludicrous images that occafion surprise by their fingularity, as having little or no foundation in nature, are fabricated by the imagination. And the imagination is well qualified for the office; being of all our facul ties the most active, and the least under reftraint. Take the following example.

Shylock. You knew (none fo well, none fo well as you) of my daughter's flight.

Salino. That's certain; I, for my part, knew the tailor that made the wings fhe flew withal.

Merchant of Venice, alt 3. fc. 1.

The image here is undoubtedly witty. It is ludicrous and it muft occafion furprise; for having no nátural foundation, it is altoge ther unexpected.

The other branch of wit in the thought, is that only which is taken notice of by Addifon, following Locke, who defines it "to

lie in the affemblage of ideas; and put"ting thofe together with quickness and variety, wherein can be found any resem« blance

H 2

"blance or congruity, thereby to make up pleasant pictures and agreeable vifions in "the fancy*. It may be defined more curtly, and perhaps more accurately,

"A

junction of things by diftant and fanciful "relations, which furprise because they are "unexpected +." The following is a proper example.

We grant although he had much wit,
H' was very fhie of using it,

As being loth to wear it out;
And therefore bore it not about,
Unless on holidays, or fo,

As men their best apparel do.

Hudibras, canto 1.

Wit is of all the most elegant recreation, The image enters the mind with gaiety, and gives a fudden flash which is extremely pleaWit thereby gently elevates without ftraining, raises mirth without diffolutenefs, and relaxes while it entertains.

fant.

Wit in the expreffion, commonly called a play of words, being a baftard fort of wit,

B. 2. ch. 11. § 2.

+ See chap. I.

is reserved for the laft place. I proceed to examples of wit in the thought. And first of ludicrous images.

Falstaff, fpeaking of his taking Sir John Colevile of the Dale:

Here he is, and here I yield him; and I be feech your Grace, let it be book'd with the rest of this day's deeds; or, by the Lord, I will have it in a particular ballad elfe, with mine own picture on the top of it, Colevile kiffing my foot: to the which courfe if I be inforc'd, if you do not all fhew like gilt twopences to me; and I, in the clear sky of fame, o'er-fhine you as much as the full moon doth the cinders of the element, which fhew like pins' heads to her; believe not the word of the Noble. Therefore let me have right, and let defert mount.

Second part, Henry IV. at 4. fc. 6.

I knew, when seven justices could not take up a quarrel, but when the parties were met themfelves, one of them thought but of an if; as, if you faid so, then I said fo; and they shook hands, and fwore brothers. Your if is the only peacemaker; much virtue is in if,

Shakespear.

For

For there is not through all nature, another fo callous and infenfible a member as the world's pofteriors, whether you apply to it the toe or the birch.

Preface to a Tale of a tub.

The war hath introduced abundance of polyfyllables, which will never be able to live many more campaigns. Speculations, operations, preliminaries, ambaffadors, palifadoes, communication, circumvallation, battalions, as numerous as they are, if they attack us too frequently in our coffeehouses, we shall certainly put them to flight, and cut off the rear. Tatler, No 230.

2

Speaking of Difcord, "She never went abroad, but fhe brought home fuch a bundle of mon"ftrous lies, as would have amazed any mortal, but fuch as knew her; of a whale that had "fwallowed a fleet of fhips; of the lions being let out of the tower to deftroy the Proteftant religion; of the Pope's being seen in a brandy-shop "at Wapping," &c.

Hiftory of John Bull, part 1. ch. 16.

The other branch of wit in the thought, viz. ludicrous combinations and oppofitions, may be traced through various ramifica

tions. And, first, fanciful causes affigned that have no natural relation to the effects produced.

Lancaster. Fare you well, Falstaff; I, in my condition,

Shall better speak of you than

you deferve. [Exit. Falstaff. 1 would you had but the wit; 'twere better than your dukedom. Good faith, this fame young fober-blooded boy doth not love me; nor a man cannot make him laugh; but that's no marvel, he drinks no wine. There's never any of these demure boys come to any proof; for thin drink doth fo over-cool their blood, and making many fish-meals, that they fall into a kind of male greenficknefs; and then, when they marry, they get wenches. They are generally fools and cowards; which fome of us fhould be too, but for inflammation. A good sherris-fack hath a twofold operation in it; it afcends me into the brain; dries me there all the foolish, dull, and crudy vapours which environ it; makes it apprehenfive, quick, forgetive, full of nimble, fiery, and delectable shapes; which deliver'd o'er to the voice, the tongue, which is the birth, becomes excellent wit. The fecond property of your excellent fherris, is, the warming of the blood; which before cold and fettled, left the liver white and pale; which is the badge of pufillanimity