For there is more in laughter than is allowed by the austere, or
generally recognised by the jovial. By laughter man is distinguished
from the beasts, but the cares and sorrows of life have all but
deprived man of this distinguishing grace, and degraded him to a
brutal solemnity. Then comes (alas, how rarely!) a genius such as
Falstaff's, which restores the power of laughter and transforms the
stolid brute into man. This genius approaches nearly to the divine
power of creation, and we may truly say, 'Some for less were deified.'
It is no marvel that young Falstaff's friends assiduously served the
deity who gave them this good gift. At first he was satisfied with the
mere exercise of his genial power, but he afterwards made it
serviceable to him. It was but just that he should receive tribute
from those who were beholden to him, for a pleasure which no other
could confer.

It was now that Falstaff began to recognise what a precious gift was
his congenital Scandinavian thirst, and to lose no opportunity of
gratifying it. We have his mature views on education, and we may take
them as an example of the general truth that old men habitually advise
a young one to shape the conduct of his life after their own. Rightly
to apprehend the virtues of sherris-sack is the first qualification in
an instructor of youth. 'If I had a thousand sons,' says he, 'the
first humane principles I would teach them should be to forswear thin
potations, and to addict themselves to sack'; and further: 'There's
never none of these demure boys come to any proof; for their drink
doth so over-cool their blood, and making many fish-meals, that they
fall into a kind of male green sickness; and then when they marry they
get wenches: they are generally fools and cowards, which some of us
should be too but for inflammation.' There can be no doubt that
Falstaff did not in early life over-cool his blood, but addicted