תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

with being always upon the stretch, is foon difgufted; and if he perfevere, becomes thoughtlefs and indifferent. Further, a fiction gives no pleasure unless it be painted in colours fo lively as to produce fome perception of reality; which never can be done effectually where the images are formed with labour or difficulty. For these reafons, I cannot avoid condemning the Batrachomuomachia, faid to be the compofition of Homer it is beyond the power of imagination to form a clear and lively image of frogs and mice, acting with the dignity of the higheft of our fpecies; nor can we form a conception of the reality of fuch an action, in any manner fo diftinct as to intereft our affections even in the flightest degree.

The Rape of the Lock is of a character clearly diftinguishable from those now mentioned: it is not properly a burlesque performance, but what may rather be termed an heroi-comical poem: it treats a gay and familiar subject with pleasantry, and with a moderate degree of dignity: the author puts not on a mask like Boileau, nor professes to make us laugh like Taffoni. The Rape of the Lock is a genteel fpecies of writing, lefs ftrained than those mentioned and is pleafant or ludicrous without having ridicule for its chief aim; giving way however to ridicule where it arifes naturally from a particular character, fuch as that of Sir Plume. Addison's Spectator upon

the

the exercife of the fan is extremely gay and ludicrous, resembling in its fubject the Rape of the Lock.

Humour belongs to the present chapter, becaufe it is connected with ridicule. Congreve defines humour to be "a fingular and unavoid"able manner of doing or faying any thing,

[ocr errors]

peculiar and natural to one man only, by "which his fpeech and actions are diftinguished "from those of other men." Were this definition juft, a majestic and commanding air, which is a fingular property, is humour; as also a natural flow of correct and commanding eloquence, which is no lefs fingular. Nothing just or proper is denominated humour; nor any fingularity of character, words, or actions, that is valued or refpected. When we attend to the character of an humorift, we find that it arifes from circumftances both rifible and improper, and therefore that it leffens the man in our efteem, and makes him in fome meafure ridiculous.

Humour in writing is very different from humour in character. When an author infifts upon ludicrous fubjects with a profeffed purpofe to make his readers laugh, he may be ftyled a ludicrous writer; but is fcarce entitled to be styled a writer of humour. This quality belongs to an author, who, affecting to be grave and ferious, paints his objects in fuch colours as to provoke VOL. I. A a mirth

* No. 102.

mirth and laughter. A writer that is really an humorist in character, does this without defign: if not, he muft affect the character in order to fucceed. Swift and Fontaine were humorists in character, and their writings are full of humour. Addifon was not an humorist in character; and yet in his profe writings a moft delicate and refined humour prevails. Arbuthnot exceeds them all in drollery and humourous painting; which fhews a great genius, because, if I am not mifinformed, he had nothing of that peculiarity in his character.

There remains to fhow by examples the manner of treating fubjects, fo as to give them a ridiculous appearance.

Il ne dit jamais, je vous donne, mais, je vous prete le bon jour.

Moliere.

Orleans. I know him to be valiant.

Conftable. I was told that by one that knows him better than you.

Orleans. What's he?

Conftable. Marry, he told me fo himself; and he said he car'd not who knew it.

Henry V. Shakespeare.

He never broke any man's head but his own, and that was against a post when he was drunk.

Ibid.

Millament. Sententious Mirabell! pr'ythee don't look

with

with that violent and inflexible wife face, like Solomon at the dividing of the child in an old tapestry hanging. Way of the World.

A true critic, in the perufal of a book, is like a dog at a feast, whofe thoughts and ftomach are wholly fet upon what the guests fling away, and confequently is apt to fnarl moft when there are the fewest bones.

Tale of a Tub.

In the following inflances, the ridicule arifes from abfurd conceptions in the perfons introduced.

Mafcarille. Te fouvient-il, vicomte de cette demilune, que nous emportâmes fur les ennemis au fiege d'Arras?

Fodelet. Que veux tu dire avec ta demi-lune? c'étoit bien une lune tout entiere.

Moliere les Precieufes Ridicules, Sc. 11.

Slender. I came yonder at Eaton to marry Mrs Anne Page; and she's a great lubberly boy.

Page. Upon my life then you took the wrong.

Slender. What need you tell me that? I think fo when I took a boy for a girl; if I had been marry'd to him, for all he was in woman's apparel, I would not have had him.

Merry Wives of Windfor.

Valentine. Your bleffing, Sir.

Sir Sampfon. You've had it already, Sir; I think I fent it you to-day in a bill for four thousand pound; a great deal of money, Brother Forefight.

[blocks in formation]

Forefight, Ay indeed, Sir Sampfon, a great deal of money for a young man; I wonder what can he do with it.

Love for Love, Act 11. Sc. 7.

Millament. I naufeate walking; 'tis a country-diverfion; I lothe the country, and every thing that relates to it.

Sir Wilful. Indeed! hah! look ye, look ye, you do? nay, 'tis like you may-here are choice of paftimes here in town, as plays and the like; that must be confefs'd indeed.

Millament. Ah l'etourdie! I hate the town too.

Sir Wilful. Dear heart, that's much-hah! that you should hate 'em both! hah! 'tis like you may; there are fome can't relish the town, and others can't away with the country—'tis like you may be one of thefe, Coufine.

Way of the World, A& 1v. Sc. 4.

Lord Froth, I affure you, Sir Paul, I laugh at nobody's jefts but my own, or a lady's: I affure, you, Sir Paul.

Brifk. How? how, my Lord? what, affront my wit! Let me perish, do I never fay any thing worthy to be laugh'd at?

Lord Froth. O foy, don't mifapprehend me, I don't fay fo, for I often fmile at your conceptions. But there is nothing more unbecoming a man of quality than to laugh; 'tis fuch a vulgar expreffion of the pasfion! every body can laugh. Then efpecially to laugh at the jeft of an inferior perfon, or when any body else of the fame quality does not laugh with one; ridicu

lous!

« הקודםהמשך »