The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-02-20
The Distinction Between Wit and
Humor

The distinction between WIT and
-humor may be said to consist in this,
that the characteristic of the latter is
nature, and of the former art. Wit is
mora allied TO intellect, and humor to
Imagination. Humor is a higher, finer,
and more genial thing than wit 1t is a
combination of the laughable with ten
lderness, sympathy, and warm-hearted-
ness. Pure wit is often iH-natured, and
has a sting but wit, sweetened by
kind, loving expression, becomes hu-
NOR. Wit is usually brief, sharp, epi-
grammatic, and incisive, the fewer
words the, better; but humor. consist
ing more in the manner, is diffuse, and
words are not spared in 1t. Callyle
says, q 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 10 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 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 heading, and it has been observed
that the author of a comedy is a wit, the
comic actor a'humorist, and the clown a
! buffoOn. Old iests were usually tricks,
and in coarse times we find that little
distinction is made between ioyousness
and malicious delight in the misfor-
tunes 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
say smart things, they are too clever to
say them. The world we live in prefers
placidity to brilliancy, and man like
Curran in 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
incorrectness is proved when we find
the same thing said one hundred years
ago. In manuscript comedy. E" In
Foro, y 10y Lady Houstone, who died
| near the end of the last century, one
of the characters observes; 4" Wit is
nowadays out of fashion, people are
well-bred, and talk upon level one
does not at present fnd wit but in some
old comedy In spite of Dir. 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 to an error in mental per-
spectiye, by which we bring the wit of
all ages to one focus, fancying what was
really far apart to have been close to-
eether. and thus comparing things which
possess no proper elements Of compari
sou, and placing as it were in opposition
TO each other the accumulated broad
and weIl-storied tapestry Of the Psst
with the 6eeting moments Of our dag,
which are but its still accumulating
fringe. Charles Lamb will not allow
any great antiquity for wit, and apos-
trophizing candle-light says, This is
our peculiar and household planet; !;
wanting it, what savage, unsocial nights
must our ancestors have spent, winter
| ing in. caves, and unillumined fast
nesees They must have laid about
and grumbled at one another in the
dark. What repartee could have pass
ed. when you must have felt about for
a smile, and handled neighbor's cheek
b be sure he understood it? Jokes
came in with candles. ~ British quar-
/ feg-fy