They endeavoured to make
mirth instructive, and, if they failed in this great end, they must
be allowed at least to have made it innocent. If wit and humour begin
again to relapse into their former licentiousness, they can never hope
for approbation from those who know that rallery is useless when it
has no moral under it, and pernicious when it attacks any thing that
is either unblameable or praise-worthy. To this we may add, what has
been commonly observed, that it is not difficult to be merry on the
side of vice, as serious objects act the most capable of ridicule; as
the party, which naturally favour such a mirth, is the most numerous;
and as there are the most standing jests and patterns for imitation in
this kind of writing.
In the next place: Such productions of wit and humour, as have a
tendency to expose vice and folly, furnish useful diversions to all
kinds of readers. The good or prudent man may, by these means, be
diverted without prejudice to his discretion, or morality. Rallery,
under such regulations, unbends the mind from serious studies and
severer contemplations, without throwing it off from its proper bias.
It carries on the same design that is promoted by Authors of a graver
turn, and only does it in another manner. It also awakens reflexion
in those who are the most indifferent in the cause of virtue or
knowledge, by setting before them the absurdity of such practices
as are generally unobserved, by reason of their being common or
fashionable: Nay, it sometimes catches the dissolute and abandoned
before they are aware of it: who are often betrayed to laugh at
themselves, and upon reflexion find, that they are merry at their own
expence.
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