The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-02-14
The Distinction Between Wit and
Humor.


The distinction between wit and
humor may be said to consist IN this,
that the characteristics OF the latter is
nature, and of the former art. Wit is
more allied to intellect, and humOr to
Imagination Humor is higher, finer,
and more genial thing than wit It is "A
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 hu-
NOR. Wit is usually brief, sharp, cpl
grammatic, and incisive, the fewer
words the better; but humor, consist
ing more in the manner, is diffuse, and
words are not spared in it. CaIlyle
says, The essence of humor is sensi-
bility, warm, tender felIow-feeling with
all forms of existence :" and adds, of
Jean PauI'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 diiicult it il
to carry these distinctions out fairly, we
may note that England has produced
Butler, one of the greatest of wits, and
France Moliere, one of the greatest of
humorists. Fun includes all those
things that occasion laughter which are
not included IN the two former divisions.
Buffoonery and mimicry come under
this healing, and it has been observed
that the author of comedy is a wit, the
comic actor humorist, and the clown a
buffoon. Old iests were usually tricks,
and in coarse times we find that little
distinction is made between joyousness
and malicious delight In the misfor-
tunes Of others. Civilization discoun-
tenanees 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. II
there be men clever enough nowadays to
say smart things, they are too clever to
say them. The world we live in prefers
pIacidity TO brilhaney, and man like
Curran III our present-day society would
be as unwelcone as a Pyrotechnist with
a pocket full Of squibbs." This Is only
a repetition of an old complaint, and its
is proved when we find
the same thing said one hundred years
ago. In a manuscript comedy, In
Foro, by Lady Houstone, who died
near the end Of the last century, one
of the characters observes: Wit ig
nowadays out of fashion, people are
well-hred, and talk upon level ono
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 for
the display Of refined wit. Under such
conditions satire is sure to flourish, for
the pen takes the place Of the sword,
and we know it can slay an enemy as
surely as steel. This notion owes its
origin it part 10 an error IN mental per
spective, by which we bring the wit of
all ages to one focus, fancying what was
really far apart to have been close to-
gether, and thus comparing things which
possess no proper elements OF comparl-
son, and placing as It we're IN opposition
to each other the accumulated broad
and weIl-storied tapestry Of the past
with the heeting moments OF our day,
which are but its still accumuiahng
fringe Charles Lamb viii not allow
any great antiquity for wit, and apo
eandle-light says, . This y
our peculiar and household planet
wanting It, what savage, unsoclal nlgii'S
must our ancestors have spent, winter
ing In caves. and unillumined last
nesees They must have laid about
aud grumbled at one another IN the
dark. What repartce could have pass
ed. when you must have felt about l',t
a smile, and handled neIghboTs GhteA
to be sure he understood ltr joke
carne IN with candles. - British quar-
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