The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-25 00:00:00

WIT AND PROFESSED WITS.

I wish, after all I have said abut wit sad
I could satisfy myself of their good cfr,-!(±,. upon the
character and disposition ; but I and COLViTiC:I(I the
probable tendency of both is, to corrupt toe under-
standing and the heart. I am not speaking of wit
where it is kept down by more serious qualities of
mind, and thrown into the background of Cie pic-
ture; but where it stands out boldly and emphatic-
ally, and is evidently the master quality in any par-
ticular mind. Professed wits, though they are gene-
rally courted for the amusement they afford, are
seldom respected for the qualties they possess. The
habit of seeing things in a witty point of view, in-
creases, and makes, incursions from its own proper
regions, upon principles and opinions which are ever
held sacred by the wise and good. A witty man is a
dramatic performer : in process of time, he can no
more exist without applause than he can exist with-
out air; if his audience be small, or if they are inat-
tentive, or if a new wit defrauds him of any portion
of his admiration, it is all over with hiin—he sickens,
and is extinguished. The apJauses of the theatre
on which he performs are so essential to him, that he
must obtain them at the expense of deceacy, frima7-
ship, and good feeling. It roust always be probable,
too, that a mere wit is a person 01 light and frivolous
understanding. His business is not to discover rela-
tions of ideas that are useful, and have a real influ-
ence upon life, hut to discover the more trifling
relations which are only amusing. ; he never looks at
things with the naked eye t,f common tense, but is
always gazing at the world through it Claude Lor-
raine glass—discovering a thousand appearances
which are created only by the instrument of inspec-
tion, and covering every of jest with factitious and
unnatural colours. In short, the character of a mere
wit it is impossible to consider as very amiable, very
respectable, or very safe. So fur the world, in judg-
ing of wit where it has swallowed up all other qua-
lities, judge aright; but I doubt if they are suffi-
ciently indulgent to this faculty where it exists in a
lesser degree, and as one out of many other ingre.-
dients of the understanding. There is an association
in men's minds between dulness and wisdom, amuse-
ment and folly, which has a very powerful influence
in decision upon character, and is not overcome with-
out considerable difficulty. The reason is, that the
outward signs of a dull man and a wise man are the
same, and so are the outward signs of a frivolous man
and a witty man ; and we are not to expect that the
majority will be disposed to look to much more than
the outward sign. I believe the fact to be, that wit is
very seldom the only eminent quality which resides
in the mind of any man ; it is commonly accompanied
by many other talents of every description, and ought
to be considered as a strong evidence of a fertile and
superior understanding. Almost all the great poets,
orators, and statesmen of all times, have been witty.
Cmsar, Alexander, Aristotle, Descartes, and Lord
Bacon, were witty men ; so were Cicero, Shakspere,
Demosthenes, Boileau, Pope, Dryden, Fontenelle,
Jonscn, Waller, Cowley, Solon, Socrates, Dr. John-
son, and almost every man who has made a distin-
guished figure in the House of Commons. I have
talked of the. danger of wit: I do not mean by
that to enter into common-place declamation against
faculties because they are dangerous ;—wit is dan-
gerous, eloquence is dangerous, a talent for observa-
tion is dangerous, every thing is dangerous that has
efficacy and vigour for its characteristics : nothing is
safe hut mediocrity. Toe business is, in conducting
the understanding well, to risk something ; to aim at
uniting things that are commonly incompatible. The
meaning of an extraordinary man is, that he is eight
men, nut one man ; that he has as much wit as if he
had no sense, and as much sense as if he had no wit ;
that his conduct is as judicious as if he were the
dullest of human beings, and his imagination as bril-
liant as if he were irretrievably ruined. But when
wit is combined with sense and information; when it
is softened by benevolence and restrained by strong
principle ; when it is in the hands of a man who can
use it and despise it, who can be witty and something
much better than witty, who loves honour, justice,
decency, good-nature, morality, arid religion, ten
thousand times better than wit;—Kit is then a beau-
tiful and delightful part of our nature. There is no
more interesting spectacle than to see the effects of
wit upon the different characters of men ; than to
observe it expanding caution, relaxing dignity, un-
freezing coldness—teaching age, and care, and pain,
to smile,—extorting reluctant gleams of pleasure from
melancholy, and charming even the pangs cif grief. It
is pleasant to observe how it penetrates through the
coldness and awkwardness of society, gradually
bringing men nearer together, and, like the combined
force of wine and oil, giving every man a glad heart
and a shining countenance. Genuine and innocent
wit like this, is surely the flavour of the mind! Man
'could direct his ways by plain reason, and support
his life by tasteless feod ; but God has given us wit,
and flavour, and brightness, 'and laughter, and per-
fumes, to enliven the days of man's pilgrimage, and to
" charm his pained steps over the burning marle."—
Sydney Smith.

THE SURREY NEW PRISON. In arranging the
designs for the Surrey new prison, now in course of construc-
tion at Wandsworth, undor the direction of Mr. D. Hill, ar-
chitect, it has been attempted to make them in such a way
as to be uniform and complete for the number at first intended
to be provided for (700), and that the future exten'iou (to
1,000), should nct interfere with the buildings erected nor
destroy their uniformity. The buildings are designed in the
plainest and most simple style, and of the most substantial
kind. 1 hey are executed in brickwork, with stone dressings,
quoins, pl:ntlis, cornices, window sills, &c., and are arranged
on the principle of Pentonville prison, and with the latest
improvements in the various fittings and details. There aro
543 cells provided for male prisoners, and 165 for females,
making a total accommodation for prisoners of 708 cells, not
including punishment and reception cells: the whole will be
thoroughly ver tilated, and fitted up with soil-pan or water
closet, washing basin, with sufficient supply of water (a sepa-
rate cistern being provided for each cell), and a gas light.
Rooms on the ground, first, and second floors, adjoining the
central hall, have been provided for trade instructors. Baths
have been provided both for males and females supplied with
hot and cold water. The cooking kitchen, bakehouse, and
serving rooms are entirely distinct from the main buildings.
The infirmaries, both for males and females, are entirely sepa-
rated from the other parts of the prison, and are provided
with separate airing courts. The chapel will be fitted up
with separate seats or stalls for 394 prisoners, pews for
governor's and chaplain's families, and galleries for the officers.
The prison will be warmed by hot water, similar to the man-
ner adopted at Pentonville. The whole of the cells, both for
males and females, are 13 feet by 7 feet, and 9 feet high to
the crown of the arch.—Builder.

FATAL EFFECTS CAUSED BY A PIN IN THE EAR—
We think it right to give publicity to the particulars con-
nected with the following fatal occurrence, in order to show
how careful every person ought to be in introducing pins
into either the mouth or ears :—A short time since Miss
Lavinia Ann Maria Downie, niece to Mr. Downie, gardener,
Traquair House, a most amiable and interesting young lady,
twenty-four years of age, who had suffered from occasional
severe pains in her head and a considerable degree of deafness
ever since her childhood, and whose health had been gra-
dually declining for the last three years, was seized
with a, most painful inflammation in the left ear,
accompanied by frequent bleeding also from the ear.
About the Ist of March her case became much aggra-
vated by the increase of the pain and inflammation,
and on the 20th ult. an ordinary-sized metallic pin was ex-
tracted from her left ear, enveloped in a firm substance, with
numerous fibres adhering to it; several hard bodies, resemb-
ling in shape the grains of buck-wheat, but of various
colours, were also taken oat of the right ear. The poor girl
endured the most intense pain, which she bore with Christian
fortitude, till the 4th iust., when death closed the scene.
The pin must have been lodged in the head for nearly twenty
years, as she never recollected having put one into her
ear • but she had a distant remembrance of having, when a
child, had a pin in her mouth, which she thought she had
swallowed. It is the opinion of several eminent medical men,
that in all probability the one extracted was the same pin.
It was found, on examination, to have been frequently bent
and twisted.—Caledonian Mercury.
EXAMINATION AND COMMITTAL OF THOMAS
SSLEETON FOR EMBEZZLEMENT AT Irswicii—This indi-
vidual, who has recently been secretary to several building
societies in Ipswich and its vicinity, was fully committed for
trial on Monday last, on three separate charges. First, for
obtaining money under false pretences on behalf of the East
Anglian Building and Investment Society; second, for em-
bezzling money belonging to the Suffolk Improved Building
and Improvement Company; the third charge being for a
similar offence against the same company. The Ipswich Ex-
press states :—" Since these cases were heard, we understand
that the prosecutors had originally intended to confine their
proceedings to four cases—two in each society. Some
threats, however, have reached the ears of the directors to
the effect that if Smeeton be not dealt mildly' with, he
will endeavour to implicate some of the gentlemen who have
been intimately connected with the societies. The effect of
this has been to induce the prosecutors to carry the entire
case still further against the prisoner, in order that the value
of such threats may be tested, and the character of the direc-
tors vindicated in the eyes of the public."
ACCIDENT RELIEF SOCIETY.—The annual festival
of this institution was celebrated yesterday evening, at the
Albion Tavern, Alder gate-street. In the absence of Mr.
U.
Thompson, M.P., who was prevented by indisposition from
attending, the chair was taken by the Rev. H. Cole, the
honorary chaplain. After the routine toasts had been dis-
posed of, the Rev. Chairman proposed "Prosperity to the
Society," which he characterised as one of the most purely
charitable institutions in this country. He stated that during
the past year three hundred and sixty families had been re-
lieved, and two hundred and ninety-eight pounds distributed
amongst them, and in the course of his observations he ob-
served
by giving orders
upon
dhfaving led to abuse,
andbeing that the
enpforractthicee o
supply f affording
evidently objectionable, the committee had for
esmadoifngtoree lie
t tradesmen
some time past distributed relief only in money, and that this
alteration had proved most beneficial. Several donations
and annual subscriptions were announced.
THE ROYAL ADELAIDE STEAM-PACKET..—The stern
frame, with the vessel's name,
" Royal Adelaide, Dublin,"
with the sternpost and upper part of rudder-post, with iron
tiller, all attached together, also the greater part of the after
deck, and the whole side of a boat, were picked up on the
Essex coast, and taken to Burnham. Very little cargo has
been saved. The divers have been at work whenever the
weather would allow of their operations; and there has been
a revenue cutter on the spot to prevent plunder as much as
possible.

THE
GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851.—A numerous
meeting of the inhabitants of Chelsea was held at the Com-
mercial Hall, King's-road, yesterday,:Mr. Fielder, the church-
warden, in the chair. The Hon. A. Liddell, Rev. C. Dris-
coll, Mr. G. Downey, Mr. Griffiths, Mr. Ryder, and others,
addressed the meeting. Resolutions were passed in favour
of the proposed exhibition, and a committee was nominated
for the purpose of assisting the Royal Commissioners in
carrying it into effect. Messrs. Fielder, Challacombe, and
Murray were appointed treasurers; and the Rev. E. Rudge,
curate of St. Luke's, was elected hon. secretary to the local
committee.