r

have countenance in this world to drown or hang themselves, more than their even Christian.

Hamlet, Alt 5. Sc. x.

Pedro. Will you have me, Lady?

Beatrice. No, my Lord, unless I might have another for working days. Your Grace is too costly to wear every day.

Much ado about nothing, at 2. Sc. 5.

Felica. I fhall be faved by my husband; he hath made me a Chriftian.

Launcelot. Truly the more to blame he; we were Christians enough before, e'en as many as could well live by one another: this making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we fhall not have a rasher on the coals for money.

Merchant of Venice, at 3. fc. 6.

In western clime there is a town,

To thofe that dwell therein well known;

Therefore there needs no more be faid here,

We unto them refer our reader:

For brevity is very good,

When w' are, or are not understood.

But Hudibras gave him a twitch,
As quick as lightning, in the breech,
Juft in the place where honour's lodg'd,
As wife philofophers have judg'd;
Because a kick in that part, more
Hurts honour, than deep wounds before.

Ibid. canto 3.

Ludicrous junction of small things with great, as of equal importance.

This day black omens threat the brightest fair
That e'er deferv'd a watchful fpirit's care;

Some dire difaster, or by force, or flight;
But what, or where, the fates have wrapt in night:
Whether the nymph fhall break Diana's law;
Or fome frail china jar receive a flaw ;

Or ftain her honour, or her new brocade;
Forget her pray'rs, or mifs a masquerade;
Or lofe her heart, or necklace, at a ball;

Or whether Heav'n has doom'd that Shock muft

fall.

Rape of the Lock, canto ii. 101.

One fpeaks the glory of the British Queen,
And one describes a charming Indian screen.

Ibid. canto iii. 13.

Then

Then flash'd the living lightning from her eyes,
And screams of horror rend th' affrighted fkies.
Not louder fhrieks to pitying heav'n are caft,
When husbands, or when lapdogs breathe their laft;
Or when rich china vessels fall'n from high,
In glitt❜ring duft, and painted fragments lie!
Ibid. canto iii. 155.

Not youthful kings in battle feiz'd alive,
Not scornful virgins who their charms furvive,
Not ardent lovers robb'd of all their blifs,
Not ancient ladies when refus'd a kiss,
Not tyrants fierce that unrepenting die,
Not Cynthia when her manteau's pinn'd awry,
E'er felt fuch rage, refentment, and despair,
As thou, fad virgin! for thy ravish'd hair.

Ibid. canto iv. 3.

Joining things that in appearance are oppofite. As for example, where Sir Roger de Coverley, in the Spectator, fpeaking of his widow, "That he would have given "her a coal-pit to have kept her in clean "linen; and that her finger fhould have

sparkled with one hundred of his richest "acres."

Premiffes that promise much and perform nothing. Cicero upon this article fays, "Sed

"Sed fcitis effe notiffimum ridiculi

genus,

"cum aliud expectamus, aliud dicitur : hic nobifmetipfis nofter error rifum mo

vet *

Beatrice.

With a good leg and a good foot, uncle, and money enough in his purse, such a man would win any woman in the world, if he could get her good-will.

Much ado about nothing, at 2. fc. 1.

Beatrice. I have a good eye, uncle, I can fee a church by day-light.

Sait le Latin, le Grec, l' Hebreu,

Les belles lettres, la physique,
La chimie et la botanique.
Chacun lui donne fon aveu:
Il auroit auffi ma pratique;

Mais je veux vivre encore un peu.

Again,

Vingt fois le jour le bon Grégoire
A foin de fermer fon armoire.

De oratore, 1. 2. cap. 63.

ibid.

De

De quoi pensez vous qu'il a peur?
Belle demande! Qu'un voleur

Trouvant une facile proie,

Ne lui raviffe tout fon bien.

Non; Gregoire a peur qu'on ne voic

Que dan fon armoire il n'a rien.

Again,

L'athfmatique Damon a cru que l'air des champs Repareroit en lui le ravage des ans,

Il s'eft fait, a grands fraix, tranfporter en Bre

tagne.

Or voiez ce qu'a fait l'air natal qu'il a pris!
Damon feroit mort à Paris :

Damon eft mort à la campagne.

Having difcuffed wit in the thought, we proceed to what is verbal only, commonly called a play of words. This fort of wit depends for the most part upon chufing words that have different fignifications. By this artifice, hocus-pocus tricks are played in language; and thoughts plain and fimple take on a very different appearance. Play is neceffary for man, in order to refresh him after labour; and accordingly man loves play. He even relisheth a play of

words;