The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-09
NIP MAN,S EHTIrP Il

The second lecture of the course before the Mer-
camille Library Association delivered on Tues
day evening last in the Unversalist Church. corner
of Calvert and Pleasant streets.
The lecturer, Arthur Gilman, ESQ.,, of Boston,
took for his subject "The Characteristics of New
England Humor." He commenced by remarking
that an old English author said that "the gra-
vest of beasts is the ass the graves of birds is the
OWL the gravest of fishes the oyster, and the gra-
vest of men a born fool" Lord Bolingbroke once
declared that gravity is the very essence of impos
turc He referred to the old adage that call work
and no play makes Jack dull boy" as one of the
earliest lessons to which childhood gives its assent
alluded to the bent bow, and said that there are
many grave people who are always disposed to
keep the bow at its utmost tension, but thought
that they are not wise who occasionally
unbend. He spoke of the love of the lud-
crous as innate in the true Yankee mind, that
more odd sayings and instances originated
there than anywhere else in the land
Quoted from Gray in favor of light humor, and az
illustration of the humOr that may occasionally
be found, in stoidity, he said persononce ask
ed an old lady, ''Have you given electricity
trial?" to which she innocently responded, eyes,
that | have, and pretty full one too-was struck
by lightning last summer" He had often heard
rigid persons spoken of las stit as poker, but the
remark of an old gentleman went beyond this he
alluded to one of this class one who "would set
an example to a pokor-' He said that the droIIefy
of the Yankee is marked by distinctive fea-
lures but that there were many persons who could
see no wit in a reply till it was pointed out TO
them--the sensations striking differently differ
ent minds He gave as illustration of this the
case of a man hose wife had long been an invalid.
ncn Il rlena enqulred of him how she was, he re-
piled that she was very poorly. ''She has been"
he said, "conined to her bed six yearsone day she
gets better and another rrnrsn and so she hangs
alOng-'tis great trial to me to have her so. | do
wish she'd get well-or something" Another in
stance was that of a gentleman whose brother had
died in good circumstances, and left him his execu-
tor One day friend accosted him and said, ''Yo You
have great trouble in settling your brothers es-
tate" eyes" was the response; 'takes a good
deal of my time. John left pretty smart lot of
property, and most on it comes to me- but
things are so mixed up that-somehow.
sometimes II most wish John hadn't died %
lie next referred to the case of two persons who.
while endeavorng to shoot the rapids of the Sault
st. Marie, were overturned. As they were borne
by the current past the town, the citizens ran
out and stood aghast deeply bewailing the mpossi-
blity Of aording the drowning men any relief,when
a shopkeeper rushed among them vehemently ex-
claiming, "Save the rcdheaded man Save the
redheaded man.' Animated to exerton bv his
frantic cries, ropes were brought and boats manned
and the red-headed individual was rescued The
shopkeeper watched him brought ashore, and after
waiting until he perceived signs of returning life
he cOolly remarked, 81 wouldn't have had that
man drowned for considerable. He owes me six
teen dollars" The remark unconsciously made by
a stage driver in the White mountains, Mr. Gil
philosophical. When asked by party of ladies
what he thought Of the Notch, he replied, "Oh, Pm
used to it. Don't mind it much. Guess though if
was down to New York, should gawk round,
too" The lecturer next entered upon an analysis
of wit and humor. He said that violent contrasts
common to both. Quoted Locke's defni-
ton of wit, in which Addison coincided;
quoted Johnson's and Leigh Hunts definitions,
but regarded Haztt's remark, that 'Man is
the only animal that laughs, because he is the
only animal that sees things as they are and as
as they ought to be-" as decidedly the best
definition of all. In evasve logic he said
the genuine New Englander is not surpassed bv
FaIstaf himself When hard pressed he is sure to
escape with fash of wit. A traveller one day said
he saw small boy hoeing miserably poor and
dwartish patch ofcorn by the road side. ''That is
small corn, boy" said the traveller. "Yes," said
the boy eve planted dwarf corn. ''But it is yell
low" said the traveller. "Yes," was the reply,
owe planted yellow corn" ''But it won't turn ont
more than half crop" said the traveller. ''Wen,''
said the boy, eve don't expect more-we planted
on shares" Many other illustrations We're given,
but it is impossible to present more than rough
synopsis of lecture which depended so much for
its success upon nice critical analysis and upon the
dramatic rendering of its illustrative anecdotes.