The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-25
PUNS AND PUNSTERS
A DEFINITION OF THE FORMER AND
EXAMPLES OF THE LATTER.

Some Specimens Of the Better Glass
of What II Called the "Lowest Form
of VITA Brilliant Coterie of Britt
ish Punsters.
Is the pun legitimate form Of witt
Some people think not, and DR.. John
son said that man who would make
a pun would pick a pocket. But the
fact Is that the general objection to
puns is because 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 admis-
sible as legitimate and commendable
expressions of humOr. 1t is Of no use
to say, like Sydney Smith, that puns
ought to be in bad repute, and, al.
though one finds an incorrigible pun
ster-often, it is true, an incorrigible
bore-in every little circlet Of social
life, one does not find the race Of pick.
pockets to be increasing alarmingly in
numbers.
1t Is probable that there are a few
even in these days of culture capable
of approaching the profound witt.
cism which De Quincy discovered in
the jests for which poor lElius LAMA
was put to death by Domitian.
II we want to argue the legitimacy
OF puns we are obliged to fall back on
the old discussion as to the difference
between wit and humor. The defini-
lions are legional, of course, but not
one Of them is wholly satisfactory.
knowledge comes and wisdom lin
gers" Tennyson says, and perhaps we
might found upon this parody, with
kles and humor permeates. But there
is little profit to be got in analysis of
this kind. What is funny isn't neces-
sarily 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 farfetched and
startling puns are the best.
The familiar inquiry, us 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 fellow
feeling for a fellow creature" there is
a direct application which is also un-
questionably humorous. Then, as an
other example of pun which Is alb
surdly apparent, there was Douglas
Jerrold's remark about man to whom
he had repeatedly written in vain for
some money.
Il have written him." said Jerrold to
an acquaintance, but got nothing"
Strange" said the other, 'for he is
a man full of Kindness"
YES" rejoined Jerrold, "unremitting
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. Nor did Tom Hood,
who, when all is said and done, re-
mains 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 cannot resist
them.
Theodore Hook is thought by many
to be equal to Hood as punster, but
Hook was labored and slow in compar-,
isOn 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 Hoods unconscious ease, as
thus:
He cannot be complete in aught
Who is not humorously prone.
man without a merry thought
Can hardly have funny bone.
John Hill Burton relates legal joke
which to the legal mind has all the
charm of a pun. One day a bailaff,
serving a writ, had been compelled by
the defendant to swallow the docu-
ment. In a state of great agitation and
anger the officer rushed into the court.
over which Lord Norbury was presid-
ing, to complain Of the indignity. He
was met by the expression Of his lord.
ships hope that the writ was mot re
turnable in this court"
Bret Harte, by the way. was not usu-
ally regarded as professional wit,
and yet among the good things which
cling to ones memory is the couplet In
the "Heathen Chinee::"
Concealed in his nails. which were taper,
What Is common in tapers-thats wax.
Somebody has written a parody in
which a candidate for examination
even beats the record Of the Monaghan:
Concealed in his palms. which were spa
cious,
What is common in palms-and that's
dates.
Speaking of palms recalls the IA
nous pun of the bishop of Oxford. who
when asked by lady why he was
nicknamed Soapy Sam replied, BE
cause, madam, am always getting in
to hot water and always coming out
with clean hands"
Perhaps it may be said that some OF
these examples are not true puns. But
pun is not necessarily twisting OF