Curiosities & wonders > Reflections upon laughter

UPON LAUGHTER. 13
we mentioned above, have never diftinguilhed
between the words Laughter and Ridicule: this
laft is but one particular fpecies of the former,
when we are laughing at the follies of others;
and in this fpecies there may be fome pretence
to allege that fome imagined fuperiority may
occafion it; but then there are innumerable
inftances of Laughter, where no perfbn is ridi¬
culed ; nor does he who laughs compare him*
felf to any thing whatlbever. Thus how oft¬
en do we laugh at fome out-of-the-way defcri-
ption of natural objefts, to which we never
compare our Rate at all. I fancy few have c-
ver read the City Shower without a ftrong dif-
pofirion to Laughter; and inftead of imagin¬
ing any fuperiority, are very fenfible of a turn
of wit in the author which they defpair of i-
mitating: thus what relation to our affairs ha*
that fimile in Hudibras,
Injlead of trumpet and. of drum.
Which makes the luarriour's ftomach come,
And •whets mens valour Jharp, like beer
By thunder turn'd to vinegar.
The Laughter is not here raifed againfl: ei¬
ther valour or martial mufic, but merely by
the wild refemblance of a mean event.
And then farther, even in ridicule itfelf
there muft be fbmething elfe than bare opini¬
on to raile it, as may appear from this, that if
B any