Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-07-23
M | S G. T. LII AN ECU S.
ON WIT.

BY j. A. V. r.
There is perhaps, scarcely anything in
The world so universally admired as wit !;
and again, e. contra, hardly a subject upon
which we can find a greater difference Of
opinion than among the most celebrated au-
,hors, in their several definitions of it. In
deed it seems to have been their studous
aim. in dissertations on this topic, 10 man
age the explanation SO dex,erously, as ne
cessariy, to comprehend their own produc-
,ions. For instance, Dryden maintains that
swift consists in propriety of words and
sentiments" Yet this must surely be al
lowed to be nearly as much dis,inc; from
wit, as from nonsense or folly since it
merely implies an accurate use Of lexico-
graphy, and, as it has been very correctly
observed. if this definition be considered a
jus. one, Euclid was certainly the greatest
wit that ever existed. For where can be
found more proprie.y in the choice Of W. ords,
adapted TO the subject, than in his 'Elements,'
which, SO far from inspiring mirth, have
proved the ''pons asinoruns" to many.
Locke's definition of wit is nearly as faul-
ty as Dryden's; he says "wi. lies in the as
semblage Of ideas, and putting those together
with quickness aud variety, wherein cen be
found any semblance and congrpity; there
by TO make leasant picture, and agreeable
vision to the fancy" This, however, is a
act censure on his logic, as j. is not gen.
eral definition of wit, but only particular
species.
Pope is third instance; he thus ex-
plains il:
s'rrue wit is nature to advantag ge drest,
What oft was thought, but ne'er SO we'll exprest "
So that, according to him, nothing can be
called witty ,ha! is not rhetorical; indeed,
il almost seems to imply that sheer non
sense, when expressed elegantly, becomes
wit.
Sir William Davenant is another example
of false definitions Of wit; for according to
him, i, is nothing more than discretion and
prudent conduct in our several stations IN
life. Take it in his own words: "Wt is
in divines, humility, exemplafiness, and mo-
deration; in statesmen, gravity, vigilance,
benign compacency, secresy, patience, and
despatch; in leaders of armies, vslor, faith
fulness, temperance, dexteriiy in pun'shIng
and rewarding, Sc" Thus for our poell-
cal knight; but (when his hand was IN "
was grea, pity he had not gone little lar
,her, as thus in tanners the dressing Of
hide; in carpenters, adrol!ness IN handling
their tools: or in cutlery, the temperIng
and sharpening of razors. 0! rem ridicu-
lam! exclaims the readear, smiling.
Mr.. Addison, in several numbers OF the
Spectator, treats at some length OF the vari-
Gus sorts Of false wit, and censures authors
who employ their talents in acrost'cs, chro-
grams, epigrams and puns; yet, in dIametrI-
cal opposition to this opinion, we find that
Dean Swift, in the following lines considers
the smar.ness of the epigram an indispensl-
BILE:
''True wit is like the precious stone,
Dug from the Indian mine;
Which boasts two various pow'rs III one,
To cut as well as shine.
Genius, like that if polished right,
With the same gift abounds;
Appears at once both keen and bright
And sparkleS while it wounds"