The Hickman courier., 1873-02-15
The Distinction Between Wit and
Humor.

1he QlStlncJlOn between VII ana |
humor may be said to consist IN this,
that the characteristic of the latter is
nature, and of the former art. Wit is
more allied to intellect, and humor to |
imagination. Humor is a higher, finer, |
and more genial thing than wit. 1t is
combination of the laughable with ten
derness, sympathy, and warm-hearted- |
ness. Pure wit is often ill-natured, and |
has sting but wit, sweetened by a
kind, loving expression, becomes hui |
NOR. Wit is usually brief, sharp, cpl |
grammatic, and incisive, the fewer |
words the better; but humor, consist |
ing more in the manner, is diffusc, and |
words are not spared in IT. Carlyle |
says, "' The essence of humor is sensi- |
bility, warm, tender fellow-feeling with
all forms of existence :" and adds, of
Jean Paul's humor, that in Richter's
smile itself touching pathos may lie
hid too deep for tears. Wit may be
considered as the distinctive feature of
the French genius, and humor OF the
/ English but to show how difficult it Is
! TO carry these distinctions out fairly, we
may note that England has produced
/ Butler. one of the greatest of wits, and
France a Moliere, one of the greatest of
/ humorists. Fun includes all those
things that occasion laughter which are
not included in the two former divisions.
ems -.-..s---.e o. ..-,.. Ia. come under
that the author of comeo.--s wIt,iessl
comic actor humorist, and the clown
buffoon. Old iests were usually tricks,
and in coarse times we find that little
distinction is made between ioyousness
and a malicious delight in the misfor-
times of others. Civilization discoun-
tenances practical jokes, and refinement
is required to keep laughter within
bounds As the world grows older fun
becomes less boisterous, and wit gains
in point, so that we cannot ageee with
Cornelius O'Dowd when he says, The
day of witty people is gone by. If
there be men clever enough nowadays to
saw smart things, they are too clever to
saw them. The world we live IN prefers
placidity to brilliancy, and a man like
Curran in our present-day society would
be as unwelcone as pyrotechDlst with
n pocket full of squibbs. This is only
repetition of an old complaint, and its
ipcorrectness is proved when we find
the same thing said one hundred years
apo. In manuscript comedy, In
Foro," by Lady Houstone, who died
near. the end of the last century, one
; of the characters observes: Wit is
nowadays out of fashion, people are
well-bred, and talk upon level one
does not at present find wit but IN some
old comedy In spite of Mr.. Lever
and Lady Houstone, we believe that
civilized society is specially suited foI
the display of refined wit. Under such
9 conditions satire is sure to flourish, fol
! the pen takes the place of the sword
and we know it can slay an enemy as
Z surelv as steel. This notion owes 1T
> origin it part to an error in mental per
II spective. by which we bring the wit o
all ages to one focus, fancying what wa
;, really far apart to have been close to
= oether. and thus comparing things whicl
Y possess no proper elements OF comparl
is son. and placing as it were IN opposition
:. to each ether the accumulated broa'
N and well-storied tapestry of the pas
r with the fIeeting moments of our day
=, which are, but it's still accumulatini
s. fringe. Charles Lamb will not allo'
N any great antiquity for wit, and apo'
as trophizing candle-light says, :" This
III our peculiar and household planet
Mt wanting it, what savage, unsocial night
IN must our ancestors have spent, winter
is ing in caves, and unillumined fas
20 nesees They must have laid abor
d, and grumbled at one another in til
at dark. What repartee could have pas
ng ed. when you must have felt about fc
ne smile, and handled a neighbor's chez
MS to be sure he understood it? Jok'
as came in with candles. British Qua
q