That HUMOUR gives more Delight, and leaves a more pleasurable
Impression behind it, than WIT, is universally felt and established;
Though the Reasons for this have not yet been assign'd.--I shall
therefore beg Leave to submit the following.
1. HUMOUR is more _interesting_ than WIT in general, as the _Oddities_
and _Foibles_ of _Persons_ in _real Life_ are more apt to affect our
Passions, than any Oppositions or Relations between _inanimate_
Objects.
2. HUMOUR is _Nature_, or what really appears in the Subject, without
any Embellishments; WIT only a Stroke of _Art_, where the original
Subject, being insufficient of itself, is garnished and deck'd with
auxiliary Objects.
3. HUMOUR, or the Foible of a _Character_ in real Life, is usually
insisted upon for some Length of Time. From whence, and from the
common Knowledge of the Character, it is universally felt and
understood.--Whereas the Strokes of WIT are like sudden _Flashes_,
vanishing in an Instant, and usually flying too fast to be
sufficiently marked and pursued by the Audience.
4. HUMOUR, if the Representation of it be just, is compleat and
perfect in its Kind, and entirely fair and unstrain'd.--Whereas in the
Allusions of WIT, the Affinity is generally imperfect and defective in
one Part or other; and even in those Points where the Affinity may be
allow'd to subsist, some Nicety and Strain is usually requir'd to make
it appear.
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