We have still a kind of laughter approaching very nearly to that of
pleasure, which contains little reflection, but cannot be regarded as
simply physical. This description seems to be that alluded to in the
Book of Ecclesiastes, "I said of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, what
good doeth it?" Of the same nature is that to which some excitable and
joyous persons are constitutionally inclined. Their perpetual merriment
seems to us childish and silly. Thus Steele observes to an hilarious
friend, "Sir, you never laughed in your life," and farther on he
remarks, "Some men laugh from mere benevolence."

The pleasure accompanying the perception of the ludicrous has been by
some attributed to the exercise of certain muscles in the face, and by
others to the acquisition of new ideas. But we may safely discard both
theories, for the former derives the enjoyment from physical instead of
mental sources, and the latter gives us credit for too great a delight
in knowledge, even were it thus generally obtained. The enjoyment seems
partly to arise from stimulation and activity of mind, excitement being
generally agreeable, whereas inaction is monotonous and wearisome. But
it seems also partly to be derived from sources which are, or appear to
be, collateral. Thus, in the early laughter of pleasure, some solid
advantage or gratification, present or future, was always in view, and
from men being delighted at their own success, which must often have
been obtained at the expense of others, it was an easy transition to
rejoice at the failure of rivals. In those primitive times, when people
felt themselves insecure, and one tribe was constantly at war with
another, there was nothing that gave them so much joy as the misfortunes
of their enemies. They exhibited their exultation by indulging in
extravagant transports, in shouting, in singing and dancing, and when
there appeared some strangeness or peculiarity, something sudden or