Essay upon Wit | Page 4

who from a tender Concern for the Honour and
Happiness of their Children, earnestly desire they may excel in
intellectual Endowments, should, instead of refin'd Parts and a Genius
turn'd for pleasant Conversation, wish them a solid Understanding and
a Faculty of close and clear Reasoning, these Qualifications being
likely to make them good Men, and the other only good Companions.
And this leads to another Observation, namely, That Persons of
facetious Talents and agreeable Humour, in whose Temperament,
Judgment, and Discretion, as before observ'd, are usually found in a
disproportionate Measure, are more inclin'd than others to Levity and
dissolute Manners: The same swiftness of Thought and sprightliness of
Imagination, that qualifies them for ingenious Conversation, Sports of
Fancy and Comick Writing, do likewise give them an exquisite Taste of
sensual Pleasures, and expose them to the prevailing Power of
Tempting, tho forbidden Enjoyments. The Passions and Appetites of
these Men, from the same Spring from whence they derive their
extraordinary Parts, that is, a Redundancy of warm and lively Spirits,
are more violent and impatient of Restraint, than those in a cooler and
less active Complexion, who however may be more eminent in the
superior Faculties of the Mind: Hence it will be no wonder, that while

their Propensions to Pleasure are much stronger, and their Reason
much weaker than those of other Men, they should be less able than
others, to resist the Allurements of criminal Delights; and this Remark
is confirm'd by daily Experience. How few of this facetious and comick
Species of Men, caress'd and applauded for their shining Parts and
witty Discourses, escape the Snares that encompass them, and preserve
their Vertue and Sobriety of Manners? It too often happens, that a Man
elevated above the rest by his uncommon Genius, is as much
distinguish'd by his extraordinary Immorality: And it would be well if it
stop'd here; but by degrees he often grows much worse, by adding
Impiety and Profaneness to Looseness of Manners: For being unable,
that is, having a moral Impotence of Will to restrain his evil
Propensions and govern his vicious Appetites, and finding his guilty
Enjoyments, attended with inward Uneasiness and unavoidable
Remorse, and being conscious that his irregular Life is inconsistent
with Safety and Happiness in a Future State; to remove the troublesome
Misgivings of his Mind from the Apprehensions of Guilt here, and rid
himself of the Fears of Suffering hereafter, he at length disclaims the
Belief of a Supream Being and a Future Existence, and with much ado
brings over his Judgment to the side of his Passions: This ingenious
Libertine, having too little strength of Reason to subdue his Appetites,
and too much Wit to think, that if that be not done, he shall escape at
last Divine Punishment, abolishes his Creed for the Quiet of his Mind,
and renounces his God to preserve his Vices.
The Objects about which Wit is exercis'd, are the common and less
important Actions of Life. It is the Province of the Civil Magistrate to
make Laws against enormous Crimes and great Immoralities, and by
punishing Offenders, to deter Men from the like Transgressions; but
they take no notice of lower Errors, either because they have not such
noxious Influence on the State, or because it is impossible to foresee
and enumerate their numberless Classes, and prevent their Growth:
Where then the Legislator ends, the Comick Genius begins, and
presides over the low and ordinary Affairs and Manners of Life. It
extends its Power and Jurisdiction over the wide Field of inferior Faults
and ridiculous Follies, over the Districts of Indiscretion, Indecency, and
Impertinence, and is Visitor of the Regions void of Discipline,
Politeness, and Civility.

Wit is employ'd in its own Province, when the Possessor of it exercises
his Genius on the ordinary Customs and Manners of Life, either in
Conversation, or Comick Writing. It has therefore no place in the
Works where severe Knowledge and Judgment are chiefly exercis'd;
those superior Productions of the Understanding must be express'd in a
clear and strong manner, without intervening Strains of Wit or
facetious Fancies, which, were they admitted, would appear
incongruous and impertinent, and diminish the Merit of the Writing.
Hence Wit has no place in History, Philology, Philosophy, or in the
greater Lyrick or Epick Poems; the two last of which containing either
the Praises of Deities or Demi-Gods, or treating of lofty and illustrious
Subjects; such as the Foundation, Rise, and Revolution of Kingdoms,
Commotions of State, Battles, Triumphs, solemn Embassies, and
various other important Actions of Princes and Heroes, are exalted
above the Sphere of Wit and Humour. The Strength and Dignity of the
sublime Stile is debas'd and adulterated by the foreign and improper
Mixture of light Sentiments, and pretty Fancies. These Sallies and
Sports of the