An Essay towards Fixing the True Standards of Wit, Humour, Railery, Satire, and Ridicule (1744) by Corbyn Morris
page 46 of 88 (52%)
page 46 of 88 (52%)
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with its _Light_.
Thus, a Gentleman was observing, that _there was_ somewhat _extremely pleasing in an excellent_ Understanding, _when it appeared in a beautiful_ Person; To which another returned, _It is like a fine_ Jewel _well set_; You are here pleased with the Happiness, Propriety, and Splendor of this _new_ Object, which finely _elucidates_ the original Sentiment;--In short, it is the Excellence of WIT, _to present the_ first Image _again to your mind, with new unexpected_ Clearness _and_ Advantage. It is also proper to add, that there may be WIT in a _Picture_, _Landscape_, or in any _Prospect_, where a gay unexpected _Assemblage_ of _similar_, or _opposite_ Objects, is presented. JUDGMENT, is the Faculty of discerning the various _Dimensions_, and _Differences_, of Subjects. INVENTION is the Faculty of finding out new _Assortments_, and _Combinations_, of _Ideas_. HUMOUR is any _whimsical Oddity_ or _Foible_, appearing in the _Temper_ or _Conduct_ of a _Person_ in _real Life_. This _whimsical Oddity_ of Conduct, which generally arises from the strange _Cast_, or _Turn_ of Mind of a _queer_ Person, may also result from _accidental_ Mistakes and Embarrassments between other Persons; who being misled by a wrong Information and Suspicion in regard to a Circumstance, shall act towards each other upon this Occasion, in the same _odd whimsical_ manner, as _queer_ Persons. |
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