4. What are the abuses of it.

In the first place, then, the greatest abuse of wit is, when it is employed upon sacred subjects, either to render the word, or the works, or the Providence of God ridiculous, and to lower them in the esteem of mankind. It is a practice by no means uncommon with many, to make a jest of the Scriptures, by giving Scripture words, phrases, characters, or incidents, a light or profane turn; a practice, which, as the great moralist of the last age most happily expressed it," a witty man despises for its triteness and facility, and which a good man shudders at, on account of its impiety."*

"If we must be facetious and merry (says Barrow) the field is wide and spacious; there are matters enough in the world beside these most august and dreadful things, to try our faculties and please our humours with; every where light and ludicrous things occur; it doth, therefore, argue a great poverty of wit, and barrenness of invention (no less than a strange defect of goodness and want of discretion,) in those who can devise no other subjects to jest upon beside these, of all other most improper and perilous; who cannot seem ingenious without trespassing so highly upon decency,

* Dr. Johnson.

I

disclaiming wisdom, wounding the ears of others, and their own consciences. Seem ingenious, say, for these persons are seldom really such, or are capable to shew any wit in a wise and maply way. It is not the excellencies of their fancies, which in themselves are usually sorry and insipid enough, but the uncouthness of their presumption; not their extraordinary wit, but their prodigious rashness, which is to be admired. They are gazed on, as the doers of bold tricks, who dare perform that, which no sober mán will attempt: they do, indeed, rather deserve themselves to be laughed at, than their conceits. For what can be more ridiculous than to trifle thus with our souls; when to make vain people merry, we incense God's earnest displeasure; when, to raise a fit of present laughter, we expose ourselves to endless wailing and woe; when to be reckoned wits, we prove ourselves to be stark wild! Surely to this case we may accommodate that saying of a truly-great wit, King Solomon; "I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What is it?" (Eccles. ii. 2.)

Another great abuse of wit, perhaps the most general, is, when it is employed upon indecency, either expressed openly, or with a double meaning, which cannot be misunderstood. But, such things are not to be discoursed on, either in jest or in earnest; they must not, as

St. Paul saith, be so much as named among Christians" to meddle with them is not to disport, but to defile one's-self and others. There is indeed no more certain sign of a mind utterly debauched from Piety and Virtue, than delighting in such conversation." (Barrow.)

The same may be said of wit, when employed to the prejudice of morality in general, whether it be by recommending vice, or depreciating virtue; or in rendering contemptible the characters of those, whom we are bound to respect, as our rulers, magistrates, parents, and relations of various descriptions..

And wit is then at its worst (as far as regards human beings) when it is used to the prejudice of another, not merely for want of consideration, but out of malevolence. To give needless pain, or offence, to any fellow-creature, to blast his character by open attacks, or sly insinuations, if it should ever give a man the character of a wit, must, at the same time, brand him as a pest in society. As the object of ridicule should be the amendment of the faults of those against whom it is exercised, to do it with malevolence, so that the person shall see that it proceeds from an ill-will, and not a good will towards him, this will indispose him to F

*

attend to it, and defeat its purpose; and, to ridicule the faults of another, when he is absent, and cannot profit by it, (unless it be done to set them in their proper light for others to avoid,) is another gross abuse of this faculty.

5. Upon the whole, then, we conclude,

That wit, in its pure state, as the ornament and seasoning of conversation, is lawful. That ridicule, when employed in the cause of virtue and religion, not as the test of truth, but as the incentive to bring us to the test of truth, is not only innocent but useful; and, consequently, that the lighter species of Drama, denominated Comedy, is lawful, and may be employed, (as was acknowledged by Archbishop Tillotson)+ to very excellent ends; but, that, it is like all other good things, capable of being abused, so as to do infinite harm. In the hands of the wicked, it is neither the sword of truth, nor the probe of the skilful and humane practitioner, but the sword of the despoiler, and the dagger of the assassin. Let us, therefore, always consider with attention the quarter whence it comes, and, if it be from any but the virtuous and the pious, we have reason to more than doubt the purity of its purpose.

* Note C.

See Discourse I. P. 22.

‡ Note D;

With respect to ourselves, we must consider, that wit is a difficult and dangerous weapon to wield, that it requires the skill of a master in the art, and that its fascinating power may be likely to lead us beyond the bounds of prudence, virtue and piety;* and, against this we must ever be upon our guard, joining in the prayer of the Psalmist: "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; and keep the door of my lips. O let not my heart be inclined to any evil thing; let not my heart be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness, lest I partake of such things as please them." (cxli. 3, 4.) "Out of the abundance of the heart (saith our Saviour) the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the Day of Judgment: for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matt. xii. 34-37.)

+ Note E.