The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-11-20
An Apology for Mirth.

There is class of people in the world
who deem an apology necessary for the in
diligence in mirthfulness These are a
set of beings into whose souls no single ray
of sunshine ever entered, and who will live
and die and rot in darkness-despite the
beauty and joy and happiness with which
Nature So profusely surrounds them.
1t has always seemed to us, that the good
humor of life is social kaleidoscope, whose
hues and phases are as beautiful, as brill
liant, as varied, and as infinite as are the
numberless tints of the rainbow. Its just
and proper appreciation rem n!ers its pcss-
essor alive to all the most liberal influences
of his day aud generation-and enables
him to look upon human nature, ip all its
bearings, from the very pinnacle of love,
charity, and benifcence.
For the errors and folly Of character,
your true humorist entertains laughing,
but philosophical and kindly indul gence
He is pre-dispesed to tolerate the foibles
of mankind for, he is thus inclined to love
his species better, and his good humor will
prompt him to dissect and make bare, with
judgment and precision, the moral differ
ences between men and acts.
Caricature simply portrays mans faults
and his excentricities, for the sake of rid
icule; while honest humor presents to the
gaze only the man. Good humor in it's
genuineness, is heaven born quality. 1t
is the very essence of the mind, for it orig
mates in the brain and the heart. 1t
sympathises with our best nature, it en-.
riches where it is felt, looks tenderly and
lovingly on all the imperfections of life,
and is ever earnest in its affections.
-" 1t is twice blest 1t blesseth
Him that gives and him that takes;
And doth become the throned monarch
Even better than his CT ownp'
True it often turns our weakness and
errors into temporary merriment; but never
willingly stabs, or int ntianally leaves al
scar.
Dickens declares that it is something
even to look upon enjoyment so that it be
free and wild, and in the face of nature,
though it may be the enjoyment of an idi-
OF. 1t rs something to know that heaven
has left the capacity of gladness in such
creatures breast-it is something to be as
sured that however lightly men may crush
this faculty in their fellows, the great Gre
ator of Mankind imparts it even to his des-
pissed and sighted work. Who would not
rather see poor idiot happy in the sun
light than wise man in darkened jail
Ye men Of gloom and austerity, who
paint the face of Infinite Benevolence with
an eternal frown, read in the everlasting
book open to your view, the lesson it would
teach. Its pictures are not in the black
and sumbre hues, but bright and glowing
tints-its music, save when you drown it,
is not in sighs and groans, but cheerful
sounds. Listen to the million voices in
the summer air, and find one as dismal as
your own. Remember, if ye can, the
sense of hope and pleasure which every
glad return of day awakens in the breast
of all your kind, who have not changed
their nature-and learn some wisdom even
from the witless, when their hearts are
filled up, they know not why, by all the
mirth and happiness it brings Ameri-
can Union.