d contrasting his Characters. It is from hence that you
feel a Poignancy and Relish in his Writings, which is not to be met
with in any others; The natural Reflexions and Debates of _Quixote_
and _Sancho_ would have been barren, insipid, and trite, under other
Management; But _Cervantes_, by his excellent Skill in the _Contrast_,
has from these drawn a Regale, which for high, quick, racy Flavour,
and Spirit, has yet never been equall'd.

It may here be enquir'd, What Species of Composition or Character is
the most pleasurable, and mirthful, in all Nature?--In _Falstaff_,
you have _Humour_ embelish'd with _Wit_; In _Quixote_, _Humour_ made
poignant with _Ridicule_; And it is certain that _Humour_ must always
be the Ground-work of such Subjects, no Oddities in inanimate Objects
being capable of interesting our Passions so strongly, as the Foibles
of Persons in real Life;--The chief Substance of _Johnson_'s
Compositions is _Humour_ and _Satire_; upon which Plan, as hath been
already observ'd, he is oblig'd to demolish, and render detestable,
his own Characters;--_Humour_ and _Raillery_ are also capable
of furnishing a Repast of quick Relish and Flavour; In written
Compositions, the Attack of the _Raillery_, as well as the Reception
of it, may be happily conducted, which in other accidental Encounters
are liable to Hazard; All Peevishness or Offence is thus easily
avoided, and the Character attack'd is sav'd from being really
contemptible;--But then indeed the Pleasure you are to receive
generally depends upon the Confusion of the Person attack'd, without
there being in reason a sufficient Cause for this Confusion;--It is
for want of this just Foundation, that the Pleasure arising from
_Raillery_ is apt to come forth with less Freedom, Fulness, and
Conviction, though with more Delicacy, than that which is derived
from _Wit_, or _Ridicule_;--However, _Humour_ and _Raillery_ united
together, when the _Raillery_ is founded upon some _real_
Embarrassment in the Circumstance, as well as in the Confusion of the
Person attack'd, will furnish a very high Entertainment; which has
Pretensions to rival either _Humour_ and _Wit_, or _Humour_ and
_Ridicule_.

To give an Instance of _Humour_ and _Raillery_, I shall insert
_Horace_'s famous Description of his Embarrassment with an impertinent
Fellow. This indeed is entitl'd, in almost all the Editions of
_Horace_, a _Satire_, but very improperly, as the Subject is not
_Vice_ or _Immor