New-York tribune., 1905-12-24
o Idle Thoughts of Idle Fellow
Men in Boat

is beyond the comprehen-
Sion-of the average Engishnlan, say In some
respects he is right The whole thing depends upon
the viewpoint 1t has been said. believe, that \
Joke at johannesburg would be murder in Mayfair.
Likewise what might be a Bowerv bon mot might
prove a serious matter if brought up before
London magistrate.
There are national Jokes just there are national
tragedies. In some respects they interchange
able but it matter of supererogatlon to attempt
to analvze hu1nor gerer1S because, just what
NAV be one mans meat may prove another mans
poison so what may be laughing matter in South
Africa might be considered desperate tragedy IN
London.
MANY Jokes indeed fall in the category of the
stones that the boys threw at the frogs-good
fun for the throwers, but possibly not much
appreciated by the object, Only, men have the
advantage of frogs, inasmuch they can throw the
stones Cor jokes back, with the Jagged points
rearranged to suit the throwers ideas of fun.
Tokes depend for appreciation opportunity
and environment as well as personality. There are
family Jokes for nstance-much thought of in their
own family but not keenly appreciated outside
Also if | bump my nose against the edge OF door
the experience is not bit funny to me, though 1t
might and probably would evoke entirely an oppo-
site feeling in others. However that would be in
the category of exceptional or unexpected Jokes
| simply cite these examples to show that jokes
really may descend to cruelty or ignorance II
we analyze all the jokes that supposed to con
tain the basic principles of humOr we are likely to
find a great majority based on individual mis-
fortune and that sort of joke IS dangerously near
cruelty, If not fight
No doubt the many derivatives on the original
Jokes on marriage death, love and debt q do not
pretend to set these down in sequence) are enjoyable,
because all these things likely to happen to any
of us and misery not only loves company but IS
moved to joyous laughter when it IS found IN
Others.
was asked not long ago by an acquaintance for
nv views on the difference between English and
American humor. | was willing, but was puzzled
AS lar as l could see, English and American humor
were interchangeable, if not the same thing. My
acquaintance thought Englishrnen were slow to see
a Joke and were inclined cling to old Jokes as old
friends-1nade them classics in fact. thought 1t
good trait rather than otherwise,
He cited London Punch poor old Punch =
as an example did not feel called upon to defend
Punch | have not always understood al q
"Puncf's" Jokes myself But | simply cited the
fact that Messrs. Du Maurer, Artemus Ward and
other gentlemen well-known on both sides OF the
Atlantic had contributed extensively to Punch
He argued further that Eng1ishmen were not only
slow to see Joke but often puzzled II Iot m
dignant at some classes OF American jokes.
thought this possible. although dld not say SO.
However the thing that Principally PuzHled mn
was how old jokes lasted 50 long IN England ana
still retained their freshness 1or EnShsi1neh-
thought | saw several reasons; but he brought one
into prominence himself
By natural sequence, maybe, we fitted from Joes
+o Journalism He discussed contributions to the
press 1t appeared he had secured from an AIneTl-
can man of prominence article for his Puoiicatlon
II. wanted to know if | had any such contributions
II hand l told him l had engaged to furnish an
article for an English publication ne asked Wleii
tley wanted it. | said they would ike the manu-
scrint at an early date-say in May, or If that was
TOO soon AUGUST would do