Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-11-14
THE PHILOSOPHY OF LAUGHTER.
From the lend m .1tlnS.

Any young gentleman who can laugh at will.
is certain ufa favorable reception Ill society.
particularly when the weather is Inagsy. Laugh.
ter is, thcTsfse, 2 socia virtue. prudent accom-
plishment, an open letter of Introduction. II is
not necessary to be funny in order TO be able TO
laugh Some men laugh like potatoes, without
kn0wingu. Their faces are sculDured cachina
tiuns. The permanent grin, however. pals up.
OH the eye, and at last begins to wear out ones
POPULARITY, and to lonk as solemn and hideous as
the dismal sphynx. Laughing is good BY virtue
of its suddenness. 1t is in its unexpected ap.
peas to the nerves that ITS power chiefly lies
II does thoughtful person good to be taken by
surprise, and to be tickled into hearty laugh
against his will. 1t IN ,kes him ieel as he would
alter having b. en- electrified. 1t awakens him,
forces blood TO circulate. makes him open his
eyes, look about him, and talk. The greatest
mystery of laughter is IT. commandments
Set one or two going, and TIE whole circle. al
though they know not why, fall into the vein.
You laugh at laughter, and laugh the more be-
cause you know the less OF what you are laugh
ing at. Much potency is there in the assucia-
ton of ideas Awkward things make one laugh,
if the mud happens TO be directed into differ.
ent channel at the moment. and the awkward
ness comes upon YOU suddenly. There is moth
ing laughabIe in seeing a man thrown from his
horse; bet # NJ be pitched Into the mud, and his
hat rolls off in,o the kennel, and his heels thrown
up into the air. like the heels Of the bodiess non.
descrIpt on the Maux halfPennies, you cannot
help laughing There is no grace in such an &C.
ciden, u make it agreeable tn the imagination,
and to save it from ridICule From peculiar
c n,truction Of the sensitive membranes, some
people laugh mare than others, and Young PEG.
pie Laugh the mast, because they have fewer
drawbacks upon he fancy Things as thev are.
IL we learned 10 anaIyze them. are not objects
for laughter; but Intil We crow familiar with
realities. we laugh at them a. II ;aey we're mere
~ ideal. and s,t up for tar amusement. To be
well deceived the iappiness Of lie. saws The
Dean o st P,t'ick's, nj t'o.e who are the
most deceived, laugh III m'st; and by the same
reasoning, those who Iaug't the most al. the hap
piest
But laughing is jiyishe into many, many
modes. Mrs. Jordan used to laugh over tie
whole face. IL began in the dlmpes of the lips.
and spread over the cheeks aud forehead like
sunshine, until the entire countenance became
inspired. That was a laugh to make you stop
with admiration aud suspended breath, and feel
happy. But you could hardly laugh at 1t or with
it. 1t was too beautiful; it captured the senses,
and filled the heart with that kind Of joy which
does not express itself in laughter. Some peo-
pie laugh convuIsvely, shooting out a noise like
that of pistol, and instantly reapsing back into
silence and gravity. II lea great question whe.
ther they enjoy their laugh like the rest Of the
world. or whether they do not enjoy it more BY
keeping it within and all to themselves. Others
again laugh through their teeth. spreading their
lips like the hyena, and emitting Kissing sound
that resembles thu irving of eggs. There may
be physical necessity for such laugh, but un-
less there be. it is very inrxcusabe. There are
persons who will avail themselves Of any excuse
FOR showing their teeth. and who laugh for no
,ther earthly reason They must be thinking Of
heir teeth all the time, and not Of the Jest pro-