ΑΝ

ESS A Y

ON

LAUGHTER

AND

LUDICROUS COMPOSITION.

Ego vero omni de re facetius puto posse ab homine non inurbano, quam de ipfis facetiis, difputari.

CICERO.

CHAP. I.

Introduction. The Subject propofed. Opinions of Philofophers,-I. Ariftotle.-II. Hobbes.-III. Hutchefon.-IV. Akenfide.

OF

F Man it is observed by Homer, that he is the most wretched, and, by Addison and others, that he is the merrieft animal, in the whole creation and both opinions are plaufible, and both perhaps may be true. If, from the acuteness and delicacy of his perceptive powers, from his remembrance of the paft, and his anticipation of what is to come, from his restless and

creative

creative fancy, and from the various fenfibilities of his moral nature, Man be exposed to many evils, both imaginary and real, from which the brutes are exempted, he does also from the fame fources derive innumerable delights, that are far beyond the reach of every other animal. That our pre-eminence in pleasure fhould thus, in fome degree, be counterbalanced by our pre-eminence in pain, was neceffary to exercise our virtue, and wean our hearts from fublunary enjoyment; and that beings thus befet with a multitude of forrows fhould be fupplied from fo many quarters with the means of comfort, is fuitable to that benign economy which characterifes every operation of na

ture.

When a brute has gratified thofe few appetites that minifter to the fupport of the fpecies, and of the individual, he may be said to have attained the fummit of happinefs, above which a thousand years of profperity could not raise him a single tep. But for Man, her favourite child, Nature has made a more liberal provifion. He, if he have only guarded against the neceffities of life, and indulged the animal part of his conftitution, has experienced but little of that felicity whereof he is capable. To fay nothing at present of his moral and religious gratifications, is he not furnifhed with faculties that fit him for receiving pleasure from almost every part of the vifible univerfe? Even to thofe perfons, whofe powers of obfervation are confined within a narrow circle, the exercife of the neceffary arts may open inexhauftible

hauftible fources of amufement, to alleviate the cares of a folitary and laborious life. Men of more enlarged understanding, and more cultivated taste, are still more plentifully fupplied with the means of innocent delight. For fuch, either from acquired habit, or from innate propenfity, is the foul of man, that there is hardly any thing in art or nature from which we may not derive gratification. What is great, overpowers with pleafing aftonishment; what is little, may charm by its nicety of proportion, or beauty of colour; what is diverfified, pleases by fupplying novelties; what is uniform, by leading us to reflect on the skill displayed in the arrangement of its parts; order and connection gratify our fenfe of propriety; and certain forms of irregularity and unfuitableness raife within us that agreeable emotion whereof LAUGHTER is the outward fign.

RISIBILITY, confidered as one of the characters that diftinguish Man from the inferior animals, and as an inftrument of harmlefs, and even of profitable recreation, to every age, condition, and capacity, of human creatures, must be allowed to be not unworthy of the philofopher's notice. Whatever is peculiar to rational nature, must be an object of fome importance to a rational being; and Milton has obferved, that

Smiles from reafon flow,

To brutes denied:

Whatever may be employed as a means of difCountenancing vice, folly, or falfehood, is an ob

ject

ject of importance to a moral being; and Horace

has remarked,

Ridiculum acri

Fortius et melius magnas plerumque fecat res*.

Let this apology fuffice at prefent for my choice of a subject. Even this apology might have been fpared for nothing is below the attention of a philofopher, which the Author of Nature has been pleased to establish.

In tracing out the caufe of Laughter, I mean rather to illuftrate than to confute the opinions of those who have already written on the fame fub, ject. The investigation has been several times attempted; nor is the cause unknown Yet, notwithstanding former discoveries, the following Effay may perhaps be found to contain fomething new; to throw light on certain points of criticism that have not been much attended to; and even to have fome merit (if I execute my purpose) as a familiar example of philofophical induction carried on with a ftrict regard to fact, and without any previous bias in favour of any theory.

To provoke Laughter, is not effential either to Wit or to Humour. For though that unexpected discovery of resemblance between ideas supposed diffimilar, which is called Wit, and that comic exhibition of fingular characters, fentiments, and imagery, which is denominated Humour, do fre

-Ridicule hall frequently prevail,

And cut the knot when graver reafons fail. Francis.

quently