Essay upon Wit | Page 5

Imagination, will no more advance the Beauty of such
superior Productions, than the Addition of glittering Tinsel and glass
Beads will improve the Imperial Purple, or adorn the Crowns of great
Monarchs. And therefore we see, with what judicious Care Virgil has
avoided this Error; how clear are his celebrated Writings from the least
sprinkling of Wit and pleasant Conceits, which corrupt the Purity,
debase the Majesty, and sully the Lustre of the greater Species of
Poetry? And as the Gravity and Chastness of the sublime Stile, in the
Works last mention'd, will not endure the gay Ornaments of Fancy; so
does that light Dress more misbecome the pious and wise Discourses,
that come either from the Pulpit or the Press. Wit is so far from being a
Grace or Improvement of Divine Eloquence, that on the contrary, it
destroys its Dignity, breaks its Force, and renders it base and puerile.
The End and Usefulness of this ingenious Qualification, is to delight
and instruct. It animates and sweetens Conversation, by raising
innocent Mirth and good Humour; and by this Effect it relieves
Domestick Cares, revives Men of Business and studious Professions,
and softens the Asperity of morose Dispositions. It suspends uneasy
and anxious Thoughts, dispels cloudy and fallen Melancholy, and by
unbending and exhilerating the Minds of the Assembly, gives them

new Life and Spirit to resume the Labour of their respective
Employments. The Exercise of Wit and a pleasant Genius, excels all
other Recreations. What is the Satisfaction that arises from Country
Sports, or the politer Diversions of Balls and Operas, compar'd with the
delightful Conversation of Men of Parts and facetious Talents? Other
Amusements, how agreeable soever, only please the Body and gratify
the Senses, but this strikes the Imagination, touches the Passions, and
recreates the Intellectual Faculties. And as the Taste of the Soul is more
delicate and exquisite than that of the Body, so much superior are the
Pleasures of one to those of the other: It is no wonder then, that the
Assemblies of Friends are dull and heavy, that Feasts and Wine are flat
Entertainments, unless some ingenious Persons are present to improve
their Taste, and enliven the Company by agreeable Discourses.
Another part of the Province in which Wit is properly exercis'd, are
ingenious Writings, intended to please and improve the People; and this
is more various and extensive than Comick Poetry, tho of the same
Kind; for it takes in not only the Subjects of Prudence and Decency,
regular Behaviour and vertuous Actions, but likewise the justness of
Human Sentiments and Opinions in Points of Controversy; of the last,
the Dialogue of Dr. Eachard against Mr. Hobbes is a famous Example,
where, by great Strength and Solidity of Reason, mixt with agreeable
Wit and Raillery, he entertains and informs the Reader, and at once
exposes and confutes the conceited Philosopher. An Instance of the first
is, the celebrated History of Don Quixote, compil'd by the Spanish Wit
_Michael de Cervantes_; a Book so well imagin'd, and writ with so
much Spirit and fine Raillery, that it effectually procur'd the End of the
admirable Author; for by turning into Mirth and Ridicule the reigning
Folly of Romantick Chivalry, and freeing the Minds of the People from
that fashionable Delusion, he broke the Force of as strong an
Enchantment, and destroy'd as great a Monster as was ever pretended to
be vanquish'd by their imaginary Heroes. And many more Books on
other moral Subjects have been compos'd with much Wit and Vivacity
in our own and foreign Countries, to expose Vice and Folly, and
promote Decency and Sobriety of Manners. But the Productions of this
Nature, which have of late appear'd in this Nation, whether we regard
the just and generous Sentiments, the fertile Invention, the Variety of
Subjects, the surprizing Turns of Wit and facetious Imagination, the

genteel Satire, the Purity and Propriety of the Words, and the Beauty
and Dignity of the Diction, have surpass'd all the Productions of this
kind, that have been publish'd in any Age or Country. The Reader no
doubt is before-hand with me, and concludes, that I mean the Tatler
and Spectator, which for the greatest Part, have all the Perfection of
Writing, and all the Advantages of Wit and Humour, that are requir'd to
entertain and instruct the People: And it must chiefly be owing to the
great Depravity of Manners in these loose and degenerate Times, that
such worthy Performances have produc'd no better Effects.
But this excellent and amiable Qualification of the Mind is too apt to be
abus'd and perverted to ill purposes. Instead of being ingag'd on the
Side of Vertue, and us'd to promote just Notions and Regularity of Life,
it is frequently employ'd to expose the most Sacred Things, to turn
Gravity