The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-10-17
The Philo>phy OfLauGhTer.

ANY one who can laugh it will is GER
tain OF a favorable reception in society
particularly when the weather i muggy.
Laughter Is a social virtue, prudent ac-
compliehment, an open letter OF intro
ductlon. Ii Is not necessary to be funny
in order to be able to laugh Some men
laugh like potatoes, without knowing it.
Their faces are sculptured cAchinnations
The permanent grin, however, pals up
on the eve, and At last begins to wear
out ones POPULARITY, and to look as
solemn and hideous as the dismal sphinx.
Laughing IS good by virtue OF its sud
denness. 1t Is in lis unexpected appeals
to the nerves thatits power chiefly lies.
1t does thoughtful person good 10 be TIA
ken by surprise and 10 be tckeled into
hearty laugh against his will 1t makes
him feel a he would after having been
electrified. 1t awakens him, forces
blood to circulate, makes him open his
eyes, look about him and talk. The
greatest mystery of laughter is its commu-
nicativeness. Set one or two going, and
the whole circle although they know not
why, fall into the vein. You laugh At
/ laughter, and laugh the mere because
| you know the less OF what You are laugh
/ ing at. Much potency Is there IN the as
ISOLATION of ideas, and laughing is dlvisl-
/ Bile into great many modes. Mrs Jordan
used 10 laugh over her whole face. 1t
began in the dimples of the lips and
| spread over the cheeks and forehead like
/ sunshine, until the entire countenance
became inspired. 1t was laugh TO
make one stop with admiration and
suspended breath and feel happy. Yet
/ one could hardly laugh with it or at il,
/ 1t was too beautiful; captured the senses
and filled the heart with that sort of JOY
/ that does not express itself in laughter.
! Some laugh convulsively, spouting out
noise like pistol and instantly relaPsing
into silence aud gravity. Others again
| laugh through their teeth, emitting a
Kissing sound most disagreeable, and un-
less there thee be a physical necessity for
it, it is ineXcusable. There are persons
who will avail themselves of any excuse
for showing their teeth, and who laugh
for no other earthly reason. A fat per-
son laughs with his great big body the
TUB undulates and heaves and the whole
man shakes with laughter down to the
calves Of his legs. 1t is like the boi.terous
rejoicing ola corporation Nobody ever
laughed until they were black in the face,
although that is esteemed the last point
of visibility. Any one may laugh till
they are red in the face; but the laugh
ter that is the most searching makes the
face pale. When person always laughs
in the same way, they never laugh with
sincerity, 1t is pleasant to be gifted by
nature with such exquisite sensibility
that ones laugh varies with the subject.
Variety is admirable in laughter rs well
as in everything else.
Women should never laugh much or
loudly. As gsnJleness Is their especial
charm they should laugh softly, lowly,
unsteady, and not as if they caught all
the broad points Of within and caricature.
Any person who laughs dogmatically
should be expelled from good society.
Why should any one laugh in style
that requires other people to laugh
whether they like it or not, and that con
veys lesson to those who do not laugh,
as nuch rs to insinuate that they do not
comprehend the force Of good thing?
1t is well enough to talk about resist
ing laughter, it is irresistible and comes
like thief in the night, and is not to be
gainsaid. What could Moore have been
thinking of, when he addressed such a re
quest as this to lady?
Give smiles to those who love you least,
But keep your tears for me,
Sunshine before the rain, even in the
dog days.