forth inanimate and formless lumps of Flesh, but to cause a natural and
perfect Generation, they are to be husbanded by another kind of seed,
even so it is with Wit which if not applied to some certain study that
may fix and restrain it, runs into a thousand Extravagancies, and is
eternally roving here and there in the inextricable labyrinth of
restless Imagination.
If every one who hears or reads a good Sentence or maxim, would
immediately consider how it does any way touch his own private concern,
he would soon find, that it was not so much a good saying, as a severe
lash to the ordinary Bestiality of his judgment: but Men receive the
Precepts and admonitions of Truth as generally directed to the common
sort and never particularly to themselves, and instead of applying them
to their own manners, do only very ignorantly and unprofitably commit
them to Memory, without suffering themselves to be at all instructed, or
converted by them.
We say of some compositions that they stink of Oil and smell of the
Lamp, by reason of a certain rough harshness that the laborious handling
imprints upon those, where great force has been employed: but besides
this, the solicitude of doing well, and a certain striving and
contending of a mind too far strain'd, and over-bent upon its
undertaking, breaks and hinders it self, like Water that by force of its
own pressing Violence and Abundance cannot find a ready issue through
the neck of a Bottle, or a narrow sluice.
Humour, Temper, Education and a thousand other Circumstances create so
great a difference betwixt the several Palates of Men, and their
Judgments upon ingenious Composures, that nothing can be more chimerical
and foolish in an Author than the Ambition of a general Reputation.
As Plants are suffocated and drown'd with too much nourishment, and
Lamps with too much Oyl, so is the active part of the understanding with
too much study and matter, which being embarass'd and confounded with
the Diversity of things is deprived of the force and power to disingage
it self; and by the Pressure of this weight, it is bow'd, subjected and
rendred of no use.
* Studious and inquisitive Men commonly at forty or fifty at the most,
have fixed and settled their judgments in most Points, and as it were
made their last understanding, supposing they have thought, or read, or
heard what can be said on all sides of things, and after that they grow
positive and impatient of Contradiction, thinking it a disparagement to
them to alter their Judgment.
All Skillful Masters ought to have a care not to let their Works be seen
in _Embryo_, for all beginnings are defective, and the imagination is
always prejudiced. The remembring to have seen a thing imperfect takes
from one the Liberty of thinking it pretty when it is finished.
Many fetch a tedious Compass of Words, without ever coming to the Knot
of the business: they make a thousand turnings and windings, that tire
themselves and others, without ever arriving at the Point of importance.
That proceeds from the Confusion of their Understanding, which cannot
clear it self. They lose Time and Patience in what ought to be let
alone, and then they have no more to bestow upon what they have omitted.
It is the Knack of Men of Wit to find out Evasions; With a touch of
Gallantry they extricate themselves out of the greatest Labyrinth. A
graceful smile will make them avoid the most dangerous Quarrel.
_Mind, Understanding, Wit, Memory, Heart._
The Strength and Weakness of a Man's Mind, are improper Terms, since
they are really nothing else but the _Organs_ of our _Bodies_, being
well or ill dispos'd.
'Tis a great Errour, the making a difference between the _Wit_ and the
_Judgment_: For, in truth, the _Judgment_ is nothing else but the
_Brightness of Wit_, which penetrates into the very bottom of Things,
observes all that ought to be observ'd there, and descries what seem'd
to be imperceptible. From whence we must conclude, That 'tis the
_Extention_ and _Energy_ of this _Light_ of _Wit_, that produces all
those Effects, usually ascrib'd to _Judgment_.
All Men may be allowed to give a good Character of their _Hearts_ (or
_Inclinations_) but no body dares to speak well of his own _Wit_.
_Polite Wit_ consists in nice, curious, and honest _Thoughts_.
The _Gallantry_ of _Wit_ consists in _Flattery_ well couch'd.
It often happens, that some things offer themselves to our _Wit_, which
are naturally finer and better, than is possible for a Man to make them
by the Additions of _Art_ and _Study_.
_Wit_ is always made a _Cully_ to the _Heart_.
Many People are acquainted with their own _Wit_, that are not acquainted
with their own _Heart_.
It is not in the power of _Wit_, to act a long while the _Part_ of the
_Heart_.
A Man of _Wit_ would be sometimes miserably at a loss, but for the
Company of _Fools_.
A Man of _Wit_ may sometimes be a _Coxcomb_; but a Man of _Judgment_
never can.
The different Ways or Methods for compassing a Design, come not so much
from the Quickness and Fertility of an industrious _Wit_, as a
dim-sighted _Understanding_, which makes us pitch upon every fresh
Matter that presents itself to our groping _Fancy_, and does not furnish
us with Judgment sufficient to discern at first sight, which or them is
best for our Purpose.
The _Twang_ of a Man's _Native Country_, sticks by him as much in his
_Mind_ and _Disposition_, as it does in his _Tone_ of _Speaking_.
_Wit_ serves sometimes to make us play the _Fool_ with greater
Confidence.
Shallow _Wits_ are apt to censure everything above their own _Capacity_.
'Tis past the Power of _Imagination_ it self, to invent so many distant
_Contrarieties_, as there are naturally in the _Heart_ of every Man.
No body is so well acquainted with himself, as to know his own _Mind_ at
all times.
Every body complains of his _Memory_, but no body of his _Judgment_.
There is a kind of general _Revolution_, not more visible in the turn it
gives to the Fortunes of the _World_, than it is in the Change of Men's
_Understandings_, and the different Relish or _Wit_.
Men often think to conduct and govern themselves, when all the while
they are led and manag'd; and while their _Understanding_ aims at one
thing, their _Heart_ insensibly draws them into another.
Great _Souls_ are not distinguish'd by having less _Passion_, and more
_Virtue_; but by having nobler and greater Designs than the _Vulgar_.
We allow few Men to be either _Witty_ or Reasonable, besides those who
are of our own Opinion.
We are as much pleas'd to discover another Man's _Mind_, as we are
discontented to have our own found out.
A straight and well-contriv'd _Mind_, finds it easier to yield to a
perverse one, than to direct and manage it.
_Coxcombs_ are never so troublesome, as when they pretend to _Wit_.
A little _Wit_ with _Discretion_, tires less at long-run, than much
_Wit_ without _Judgment_.
Nothing comes amiss to a great _Soul_; and there is as much _Wisdom_ in
bearing other People's _Defects_, as in relishing their good
_Qualities_.
It argues a great heighth of _Judgment_ in a Man, to discover what is in
another's Breast, and to conceal what is in his own.
If Poverty be the Mother of Wickedness, want of _Wit_ must be the
Father.
* A _Mind_ that has no Ballance in it self, turns insolent, or abject,
out of measure, with the various Change of Fortune.
* Our _Memories_ are frail and treacherous; and we think many excellent
things, which for want of making a deep impression, we can never recover
afterwards. In vain we hunt for the stragling _Idea_, and rummage all
the Solitudes and Retirements of our Soul, for a lost Thought, which has
left no Track or Foot-steps behind it: The swift Off-spring of the Mind
is gone; 'tis dead as soon as born; nay, often proves abortive in the
moment it was conceiv'd: The only way therefore to retain our Thoughts,
is to fasten them in Words, and chain them in Writing.
* A Man is never so great a _Dunce_ by _Nature_, but _Love_, _Malice_,
or _Necessity_, will supply him with some _Wit_.
* There is a _Defect_ which is almost unavoidable in great _Inventors_;
it is the Custom of such earnest and powerful Minds, to do wonderful
Things in the beginning; but shortly after, to be over-born by the
Multitude and Weight of their own Thoughts; then to yield and cool by
little and little, and at last grow weary, and even to loath that, upon
which they were at first the most eager. This is the wonted Constitution
of _great Wits_; such tender things are those exalted Actions of the
Mind; and so hard it is for those Imaginations, that can run swift and
mighty Races, to be able to travel a long and constant Journey. The
Effects of this Infirmity have been so remarkable, that we have
certianly lost very many Inventions, after they have been in part
fashion'd, by the meer _Languishing_ and _Negligence_ of their
_Authors_.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Present State of Wit (1711), by John Gay