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ty, heroism, undaunted courage, rise still higher in our esteem. One would readily think, that the moral virtues fhould be efteemed according to their importance. Nature has here deviated from her ordinary. path, and great wisdom is shown in the deviation. The efficient caufe is explained above; and the final cause is explained in the Effays of morality and natural religion *.

* Part 1. effay 2. chap. 4.

CHAP.

1

40

T

CHA P. XII.

RIDICULE.

HIS fubject has puzzled and vexed all the critics. Aristole gives a definition of ridicule, obfcure and imperfect *. Cicero handles it at great length; but without giving any fatisfaction. He wanders in the dark, and miffes the diftinction betwixt rifible and ridiculous. Quintilian is fenfible of this diftinction; but has not attempted to explain it. Luckily this fubject lies no longer in obscurity. A rifible object produceth an emotion of laughter merely ||. A ridiculous object is improper as well as rifible; and produceth a mixt emotion, which is vented by a laugh of derifion or fcorn **.

*Poet. cap. 5.

+ L. 2. De oratore.

Ideoque anceps ejus rei ratio eft, quod a derifu non procul abeft rifus. Lib. 6. cap. 3. § I.

# See chap. 7.

**See chap. 10.

Having therefore happily unravelled the abstruse and knotty part, I proceed to what may be thought further neceffary upon this fubject.

Burlesque is one great engine of ridicule. But it is not confined to that subject; for it is clearly distinguishable into burlesque that excites laughter merely, and burlesque that provokes derifion or ridicule. A grave subject in which there is no impropriety, may be brought down by a certain colouring fo as to be rifible. This is the case of Virgil Traveftie*. And it is the cafe of the Secchia Rapita. The authors laugh first at every turn, in order to make their readers laugh. The Lutrin is a burlesque poem of the other fort. The author Boileau, lays hold of a low and trifling incident to expose the luxury, indolence, and contentious spirit of a set of monks. He turns the subject into ridicule by dreffing it in the heroic style, and affecting to confider it as of the utmost dignity and importance; and though ridicule is the poet's aim, he himself carries

* Scarron.

+ Taffoni.

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all along a grave face, and never once bewrays a smile. The oppofition betwixt the fubject and the manner of handling it, is what produces the ridicule. In a compofition of this kind, no image profeffedly ludicrous ought to have quarter; because such images deftroy the contrast.

Though the burlesque that aims at ridicule, produces its effect by elevating the ftyle far above the fubject, yet it has limits. beyond which the elevation ought not to be carried. The poet, confulting the imagination of his readers, ought to confine himfelf to fuch images as are lively and readily apprehended. A ftrained elevation, foaring above an ordinary reach of fancy, makes not a pleasant impreffion. The mind fatigued with being always upon the stretch, is foon difgufted; and if it perfeveres, becomes thoughtless and indifferent. Further, a fiction gives no pleasure, unless where painted in fo lively colours as to produce fome perception of reality; which never can be done effectually where the images are formed with labour or difficulty. For these reasons, I cannot avoid condemning the Batrachomuo

machia faid to be the compofition of Homer. It is beyond the power of imagination, to form a clear and lively image of frogs and mice acting with the dignity of the highest of our species: nor can we form a conception of the reality of fuch an action, in any manner fo diftinct as to intereft our affections even in the slightest degree.

The Rape of the Lock is of a character clearly distinguishable from those now mentioned. It is not properly a burlefque performance, but what may rather be termed an beroi-comical poem. It treats a gay and familiar fubject, with pleasantry and with a moderate degree of dignity. The authof puts not on a mask like Boileau, nor profeffes to make us laugh like Taffoni. The Rape of the Lock is a genteel and gay fpecies of writing, lefs ftrained than the others mentioned; and is pleafant or ludicrous without having ridicule for its chief aim; giving way however to ridicule where it arises naturally from a particular character, fuch as that of Sir Plume. Addifon's Spectator upon the exercife of the fan is ex

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