Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-01-10

of what IL Called the "Iowest Form
of VITA BriIIinn Coterie of Brit
ish Punsters.
Is the pun 4 legitimate form Of wit?
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
or wit-tbat is 10 say, II Is directed to
bad puns. We do not want to discuss
bad puns or even 20 hear them. The
point is. whether good puns are admis-
sible as legitimate and cOmmendable
expressions Of humor. II 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
II is probable that there are a few
even in these days Of culture capable
Of appreciating the profound With
cisIn which De Quincy discovered in
the jests for which poor .Elius LAMA
was put 10 death by Domitian.
II we want 10 argue the legitimacy
OF puns we are Obliged TO fall back on
the old discussion as 10 the difference
between wit and humor. The defni-
lions are legional. OF course. but not
one OF them Is wholly satisfactory.
knowledge comes and wisdom lin
gers. Tcnuyson says. and perhaps we
might found upon this a parody. with
some approach TO truth-that wit spar
kles and humor perTneateS. 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 i'm IL or suggested 10y Il some Of
the essence Of humor. Thus Charles
Lamb was not 50 far wrong when he
said that the most farfetchcd and
startling puns are the best.
The familiar Inquiry. is IL true that
the first apple was eaten by the first
pairE' Is farfetched. hut one cannot
deny the humor Of H. Again. I'm the
conundrum. Why Is blind mans bun
like sympathy" Because il is a fellow
feeling for fellow creature" there is
direct application which is also I'M
questionably humorous. Then. as an
other example OF "A pun which is alb
surdly apparent. there was Douglas
Jerrold's remark about man 10 whom
he had repeatedly written I'm vain for
some money
Il have written him." said Jcrrold 10
an acquaintance. "but got nothing"
Strange" said the other. for he is
a man full OF kindness"
Yes. rejoined Jerrold. "unremittlnC
kindness"
\ pun which requires explanation in
brackets is indeed simply intolerable.
The Oxford scholar who meeting
porter carrying hare through the
streets. asked. "Prithee. friend. IS that
thy own hare or n wigg" required no
commentator. Nor did Tom Hood
who. when all is said and done. re
mains the prince OF British punsters.
He nuns rs naturally as he laughs. A
babe can see the point OF his jokes and
the crusticSt dry rs dust cannot resist
them.
Theodore Hook is thought 10y many
TO be equal 10 Hood as 4 punster. but
Hook was labored and slow in compar-
iSon. There is an impromptu air about
Hoods puns which Is Incompatible
and an uneNpectedneSS even when YOU
are looking FOR them that is delicious.
Frederick Locker once or twice seemed
10 have Hoods unconscious ease. rs
thus:
He cannot be complete in aught
VINO Is NOT hCmorOusly prone.
a man without n merry thought
Can hardly have a funny bone
John Hill Burton relates legal Joke
which 10 the legal mind has all the
charm of pun. one day a bailin,
serving writ, had been compelled by
the defendant 10 swallow the docu.
ment. In Il state OF great agitation and
anger the officer rushed into the court.
over which Lord Norbury was presid-
ing, 10 complain Of the indignity. he
was met by the expression Of his lord.
ships hope that the writ was mot r.
turnable In this court"
Bret Harte. by the way. was not usu-
ally regarded rs a professional wit.
and yet among the good things which
cling 10 ones memory is the couplet in
the Heather Chinee:"
Concealed In his nails which were taper.
What Is common in tapers-thats wax
Somebody has written a parody in
which 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 n 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 ii may be said that some of
these examples are not true puns. But
a pun IS not necessarily a twisting OF
spelling and Il COntOrtion OF syllableS.
as the writer's OF burlesQue and com
ic" papers seem 10 think. IL Is play
upon words and 10 be really entitled 10
be considered witty should play both
upon tho sound and the sense. if posi-
ble.-London Tit-BitS