Page:Comical adventures of the late Mr. James Spiller, comedian, at Epsom in England.pdf/4

4 The comical Adventures of when they have drawn together a scheme of inconsistent ideas, they are not able to read it over to themselves without laughing. These poor gentlemen endeavour to gain themselves the reputation of wits and humourists, by such monstrous conceptions as almost qualifies them for Bedlam: not considering that humour should always be under the check of reason, and that it requires the direction of the nicest judgment, by so much the more as it indulges itself in the most boundless freedom.

There is a kind of nature to be observed in this sort of composition, as well as in all others, and a certain regularity of thought within, must discover the writer to be a man of sense, at the same time that he appears altogether given up to caprice.

For my part, when I read the delirious mirth of an unskilful author, I cannot be so barbarous as to divert myself with it, but am rather apt to pity the man that laughs at any thing he writes.-It is indeed, much easier to describe what is not humour, than what it is, and very difficult to define it any otherwise, than as Cowly has done wit-by negatives.' For a further definition of humour, and a beautiful comparison between true humour and false humour, I would recommend my readers to the remaining