" blance or congruity, thereby to make up " pleasant pictures and agreeable visions in "the fancy *." It may be defined more curtly, and perhaps more accurately, " A " junction of things by distant and fanciful " relations, which surprise because they are " unexpected †." The following is a proper example. We grant although he had much wit, 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 pleafant. Wit thereby gently elevates without straining, raises mirth without dissoluteness, and relaxes while it entertains. Wit in the expreffion, commonly called a play of words, being a bastard fort of wit, is reserved for the last place. I proceed to examples of wit in the thought. And first of ludicrous images. *B. 2. ch. II. § 2. † See chap. 1. Falstaff, speaking of his taking Sir John Colevile of the Dale: Here he is, and here I yield him; and I beseech 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 else, with mine own picture on the top of it, Colevile kissing my foot: to the which course if I be inforc'd, if you do not all shew like gilt twopences to me; and I, in the clear sky of fame, o'er-shine you as much as the full moon doth the cinders of the element, which shew like pins' heads to her; believe not the word of the Noble. Therefore let me have right, and let defert mount. 1 Second part, Henry IV. alt 4. fc. 6. I knew, when seven justices could not take up a quarrel, but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an if; as, if you faid so, then I said so; and they shook hands, and swore 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 insensible 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 polysyllables, which will never be able to live many more campaigns. Speculations, operations, preliminaries, ambassadors, palisadoes, 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, Speaking of Difcord, "She never went abroad, " but she brought home such a bundle of mon" strous lies, as would have amazed any mor"tal, but fuch as knew her; of a whale that had " fwallowed a fleet of ships; of the lions being let " out of the tower to destroy the Proteftant reli"gion; of the Pope's being seen in a brandy-shop " at Wapping,” &, History 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 afsigned 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. I 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 so over-cool their blood, and making many fish-meals, that they fall into a kind of male greenfickness; and then, when they marry, they get wenches. They are generally fools and cowards; which fome of us should 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 apprehensive, 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 sherris, is, the warming of the blood; which before cold and settled, left the liver white and pale; which is the badge of pufillanimity fillanimity and cowardice: but the sherris warms it, and makes it course from the inwards, to the parts extreme; it illuminateth the face, which, as a beacon, gives warning to all the rest of this little kingdom, man, to arm; and then the vital commoners and inland petty spirits muster me all to their captain, the heart; who, great, and puff'd up with this retinue, doth any deed of courage: and this valour comes of sherris. So that skill in the weapon is nothing without sack, for that fets it a-work; and learning a mere hoard of gold kept by a devil, till fack commences it, and fets it in act and use. Hereof comes it, that Prince Harry is valiant; for the cold blood he did naturally inherit of his father, he hath, like lean, steril, and bare land, manured, husbanded, and till'd, with excellent endeavour of drinking good and good store of fertil sherris, that he is become very hot and valiant. If I had a thousand fons, the first human principle I would teach them, should be to forswear thin potations, and to addict themselves to fack. |