The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-11-19
anAmerIcan Aristophanes.

America wants an Aristophanes who, with
the magic touch Of genius, will crystalline
the crude humor Of the country into high
! er literary form than any OF those now be-
fore the public. One man depicts one char
acter-sam Slick, Orpheus c. Kerr, arte-
mus Ward, Hans Breitmann. And, if the
playful London Quarterly be any authority,
we now need new satirist, who shall group
| in one imperishable whole tho various phases
of character, differing from those OF the Old
World, which new climate, and the con-
tact OF races, have by degrees produced.
II were not for the plays Of Aristophanes,
our knowledge OF Athenian life would be
very imperfect. The ''chaff" of the city
lives ON his imperishable page. He has i'm
mortalized the weak points Of Cleon and
Socrates and Alcibiades. His marvellous
4 rhythm and perfect Attic style have pre-
served for us the TRIES that aoated in the
air Of the city Of the golden grasshopper, as
flies are preserved in amber. The function
of such writer is not altogether frivolous;
satire and caricature are weapons that may
be used in strong earnestness, aud with no
contemplate effect Moreover. the humor
of race is valuable key to character, and
will never be neglected by the student OF
| ethnology and history. Humor, and not
wit, as Sidney Smith maintained, is 'the
s.Gavor of the mind" Probably this asscr-
tion of his was made thoughtlessly, since it
is quite inconsistent with what we under
stand to be his main theory on the subject.
Wit is all operation OF pure intellect, and,
when most brilliant, is by no means provo
cative OF laughter. 1t was said OF Franklin
"E,4puh .tulnaeR c@lo scept''umQue tY1un-
"nis." This Is true wit, but it does not pro-
yoke even smile, and its author may we'll
have been devoid Of any sense OF humor.
Humor is natural-the indigenous growth OF
tho SOIL Wit may be cultivated, may even
be acquired. The humorous man is horn
SO; no one was ever born an epigrammatist.
The fact that both gifts are often united in
the same person tends to prevent our al
ways remembering the distinction between
them; but if we turn 10 the writings and
sayings OF men like Congreve, Chesterfield,
Walpole, Selwyn, who were wits by profess
sion, that distinction becomes easily percep-
tible. Wit was the accomplishment OF men
OF fashion il the days from Charles II to the
Regency, Of men who would have thought
humor low, even though it were the humor
of Shakespeare. But hnmor has resained
its ascendancy, and wit is now compare
tive rarity, although recant writer In tho
Contemporary Recis,o predicts the rostora-
ton OF the epigram. This we gravely doubt
Life Is not long enough for the labor which
good epigrams require. In fiction, wit
seems to have given way to humor. when
Theodore Hook was succeeded by Charles
Dickens. There was great deal OF The
ludlcrous in Hooks novels. and ho was witty
beyond measure; but he had none OF that
humor which belongs to vivid perception OF
real character Dickens, on the other hand,
possessed inexhaustlbe humor, for he took
note OF character wherever he perceived it,
but he has few scintlllations OF wit. In the
drama, again, although new plays are re-
presented under the name Of comedies, they
contain no witty colloquy, and are for the
most part q mixture Of melodrama and
farce.
Hamor and wit have both their special
functions. Humor reveals to US the char
acter OF men, and OF races Of men; it aids
the philosopher and the historian; it is the
best ally Of the dramatic poet. Wit has
wondrous power in politics and society; Its
lightning clears the Dir. 1t is common
sense, frightened by the crystallization OF
genius Pleasant when it coruscates at
the dinner table, it is terrible when it exposes
shams, when it shows the folly Of antiquated
prejudice, when it makes oppression con-
temptible, and tyranny ridiculous. Wit, the
very faculty that heightens the flavor OF
your claret, has been known to shake dynas-
ties, and to unnerve tho cruel hands OF
tyrants. 1t Is the delight Of the wise, and
the scourge of fools. But it Is as we'll not
to use it too freely.
-A><-$-
The War StrenSth of England,