Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-27
Ell rnnxIss ON THE PLArrosM.


Nc Entertnins an Appreciniivs
Audience at sRarthmore.
Writing from Swarthmore 10 the Phila
dslphia Inquirer on Wednesday last .
correspondent says;
Melville d. Landon (Eli Perkins, dc.
livered his Philosophy of Wit and HumoI
in the Swarthmore College course to-
night. His argument Was to show that
all laughter was caused by deformity--
deformed logic, deformed gesture, de.
formed quotations, deformed grammar,
deformed truth, &c. He said humor ii
the absolute truth. Dickens is humosist,
because he described things truthtully.
| Hts characters all existed; Dombey, Bill
Dickens described them as ne found
them, dialect end all. Baron Munohausen
and all the satirihts and ridiculers arr
wits. They added imagination 70 the
facts. The ridlculer exsggerates truth,
and the satirist exsggeratss error. he
makes error Ridiculous. It was so with
the satires of "Don Quixote," "Ginx's
Baby, Juvenal and Dean Swift" II the
wits all tell tho truth, ihea the "Tale OF
Tub" Ia true story. Gulliyer'e
Travels are as true as Moody's sermons.
Thacksray's yellow Plush Papers" are
Supdsy-school tracts, and Baron Mum
ohausen's 400 gigantic lies are az true AZ
Maosulay's History Of England" Al
most all fun is exaggeraiion.
The parallels in the Bible are humor.
They could happen Bunyan was q
humoriet, for the Christian has expert.
encod the same feelings he deBoribea.
Aftemus Ward was all exaggeration--in-
nocent eraggeration. BE did not write
Bntire, Irony, humor or ridicule. He
simply exaggerated for pure fun, ns does
the Detroit Free Press man and Max
Adler. Nasty was a pure satirist; he
didn't produce laughter; he convinced
people by exaggerating error. Mark
Twain Is both humorist and wit. Tom
Sawyer is pure humor.-true to nature.
The bust OF Columbus and tomb of Adam
nre all in the imagination. They are
witty conceptions. The humoiist Ia q
photographer. He Is true in spirit and
In letter. He gives the dialect and the
facts. The historian only gives facts
without dialect. 10 the humorist 10 truer
than the historian. (Sensstiop). Dickens
Is really truer than Macauley.
Any one can write humor who will alt
down and describe any little scene truth.
fully.
To-day, said Mr.. Perkins, saw this
bit of humor in the depot at Princeton
A good woman walked up TO the ticket
agent, and, with great excitement, asked;
"whsn does the hrst train 90 to New
York;"
"Four-htty," said the agent politely.
''No other train till thon ~
s'Noue."
''Isn't there freight7"
emo, madame"
"Is there special ?"
nNo.n
"would you know 1t II there wasp
"0f oourse."
"And there isn't any, sure7"
"No, no."
"Tm very glad" said the old lady with
. feeling of relief-'ve-r.y glad. Nov.
Marian, We can GROSS the track I"
Oaughter).
ThSre is no eraggoration in this. It'll
true hunor.
Satire Is to e1aggerats an erroneous
Idea. Here is ca6e satiriziug our brain
less Jury eustom
= - ~NtSsec1 ANH1NA Iu1A htAAFbA III
Philadelphia, In front Of the Continental
he hailed / brother pedest vain and said
my friend want you to tell mo some
thing about this CITY"
II don't know anything Rbout 1t, said
the huSrying business man, with q far
and away low tari6 Iook.
"Whst street is tlief
II don't tepw said tas hrsv nan
with his mind occupied and staring at
Vacancy.
"WhAt city ia itPn
"Can't tell; am busy"
''Is it london CT Philsdelphia ~
Don't know anything about it,"
"Hou don't?"
sEo."
"Well. by Heavens, sir, You aye the
very man I'm looking for. I've been
looking FOR You for years "
"What do you want me for 2"
81 want you to sit on a jury in Chicago
Goud laughter)
Mr.. Landon's lecture would occupy
nine columns OF The Inquirer. aad
bristled with philosophy and fun, with
moial or q lesson in every line.