The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-01-08
PUNS AND PUNSTERS.
A DEFINITION OF THE FORMER AND
EXAMPLES OF THE LATTER.

A Few Specimens of the Better Glass OF
the Iowest Form of WILTON Hood the
Prince of British Puasters-He Puns as
Naturally as He Laughs.
is the pun legitimate form OF wit?
Some people think not, and DR.. johnson
said that a man who would make pun
would pick pocket. But the fact is
that the general objection to puns is be-
cause Of their frequent lack OF wit
that is to say, it is directed to bad puns.
We do not want to discuss bad puns-
or even to hear them. The point is,
whether good puns are admissible as
| legitimate and commendable express
sions of humor. It is of no use to say,
like Sydney Smith, that puns ought to
be in bad repute, and, although one
finds an incorrigible punster-often, 1t
is true, an inoorrigible bore-in every
little circlet of social life, one does not
find the race of pickpockets to be in
creasing alarmingly in numbers. Nor
do the statistics of crime seem to bear
any relation to the productions OF
Planchet or Brough or of Gilbert to the
spread of burlesque and the cultivation
of Bah balladist opera.
1t is probable that there are a few,
even in these days of culture, capable OF
approaching the profound wlttlclsm
which De Quincy discovered in the
jests for which poor Elius Lamia was
put to death by Domitian.
Cicero had the name Of being great
punster, although not many OF his Wit
ticisms have come down to us. There is
one, however, that may be appreciated
even without a knowledge of Latin.
Once Jew attempted to get the cause
of Verres into his own hands, and Cice-
70, who believed the Jew to be mere
tool of the culprits, opposed him by ask
ing, "What hath a Jew to do with
swines hesh?" The Romans called
boar "verres, so that the point was
neat and appropriate.
If we want to argue the legitimacy OF
puns we are obliged to fall back on the
old discussion as to the difference be-
tween wit and humor. The definitions
are legional of course, but not one OF
them is wholly satisfactory. "Knowl-
edge comes and wisdom fingers, Ten
nyson says, and perhaps we might found
upon this parody, with some approach
to truth-that wit sparkles and humor
permeates. But there is little profit to
be got in analysis of this kind. What is
funny isn't necessarily witty, but what
is funny must have in it or suggested
by it some of the essence OF humor.
Thus Charles Lamb was not so far
wrong when he said that the most far
fetched and startling puns are the BEST
The familiar inquiry, Is it true that
the first apple was eaten by the first
pair?" is farfetched, but one cannot
deny the humor Of it. Again, in the
conundrum, "Why is blind mans buff
like sympathy?"- Because it is a fell
low feeling for fellow creature, "
there is a direct application which is
also unquesuionably humorous. Then,
as another example of a pun which Is
absurdly apparent, there was Douglas
Jerrold's remark about man to whom
he had repeatedly written in vain for
some money.
81 have written him." said Jerrold
to an acquaintance, "but got nothing. )"
Strange" said the other, flor he is
man full of kindness. -
eyes" rejoined Jerrold, "unremit-
ting kindness. "
A pun which requires explanation in
brackets is indeed simply intolerable.
The Oxford scholar who, meeting a
porter carrying a hare through the
streets, asked, "Prithee, friend, is that
thy own hare or wig?" required no
commentator. This same story is some
times attributed to Charles Lamb. Nor
did Tom Hood, who, when all is said
and done, remains the prince Of British
punsters. He puns as naturally as he
laughs. A babe can see the point OF his
jokes, and the crustiest dry-as-dust can
not resist them.
Theodore Hook is thought by many
to be equal to Hood as punster, but
Hook was labored and slow in compari-
son. There is an impromptu air about
Hoods puns which is incompatible, and
} an unexpectedness, even when you are
looking for them, that is delicious.
Frederick Locker once or twice seemed
to have Hood S unconscious ease, as thus
He cannot be complete in aught
| Who is not humorously prone.
hon