An Essay towards Fixing the True Standards of Wit, Humour, Railery, Satire, and Ridicule (1744) by Corbyn Morris
page 25 of 88 (28%)
page 25 of 88 (28%)
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_Surprize_, and be indisputably WIT, and yet be far from creating any
_Delight_. This Gentleman has also given the following Example, in order to illustrate the Necessity there is, that _Surprize_ should be always an Attendant upon WIT. "When a Poet tells us, the Bosom of his Mistress is as white as Snow, there is no _Wit_ in the Comparison; but when he adds, with a Sigh, that it as cold too, it then grows to Wit." --To compare a Girl's _Bosom_ to _Snow_ for its _Whiteness_ I apprehend to be WIT, notwithstanding the Authority of so great a Writer to the contrary. For there is a _Lustre_ resulting from the _natural_ and _splendid Agreement_ between these Objects, which will _always_ produce WIT; such, as cannot be destroyed, though it will quickly be rendered _trite_, by frequent Repetition. This _Problem_, _How far_ SURPRIZE _is, or is not, necessary to_ WIT, I humbly apprehend, may be thus solved.--In Subjects which have a _natural_ and _splendid Agreement_, there will always be WIT upon their _Arrangement_ together; though when it becomes _trite_, and not accompanied with _Surprize_, the _Lustre_ will be much faded;--But where the _Agreement_ is _forced_ and _strained_, _Novelty_ and _Surprize_ are absolutely necessary to usher it in; An unexpected _Assemblage_ of this Sort, striking our Fancy, and being gaily admitted at first to be WIT; which upon frequent Repetition, the _Judgment_ will have examined, and rise up against it wherever it appears;--So that in short, in Instances where the _Agreement_ is _strained_ and _defective_, which indeed are abundantly the most |
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