gard
to Sense, or Wisdom, as lightning to the Sun, suddenly
kindled and as suddenly gone....

But for the most part wit was becoming an expression of mirth or
ridicule in which fancy was primarily involved; at its best wit was
coupled with politeness and elegance in conversation, and at its worst
with silliness and extravagance, or with indecency and impiety.

The essay from the _Weekly Register_ is one of a large number of
little histories of wit, which appear through the age of Dryden and
Pope and which attempt to relate developments in wit to changes
in fashion, religion, polities, social manners, and taste. These are
rudimentary but important expressions of the idea that literature is
conditioned by changing circumstances and social customs in the lives
of the people from whom it springs.

The _Essay on Wit_, 1748, is reprinted here, by permission,
from a copy in the library of the University of Illinois. Flecknoe's
_Characters_ are reprinted from a copy of _Sixty Nine Enigmatical
Character_ owned by the library of the University of Michigan. The
essays of Joseph Warton is the _Adventurer_, and the typescript copy
of the essay

"Of Wit" from the _Weekly Register_ (as reprinted in the
_Gentleman's Magazine_) are also taken from copies belonging
to the University of Michigan.

Edward Niles Hooker
University of California, Los Angeles

* * * * *

[Illustration: Title page]

AN ESSAY ON WIT.

[Price Six-pence.]

AN ESSAY ON WIT:

To which is annexed,

A DISSERTATION on Antient and Modern HISTORY.

* * * * *

____ _Sapientia prima
Stultitia caruisse._ HOR. Epist. I. Lib. I.

* * * * *

_LONDON_:

Printed for _T. Lownds_, Bookseller, at the _Bible_ and _Crown_, in
_Exeter-Change_, in the _Strand_, 1748.

* * * * *

AN ESSAY ON WIT.

A Gentleman who had some Knowledge in the human Heart, was consulted
about a Tragedy which was going to be acted: He answer'd that there
was so much Wit in the Piece that he doubted of its Success.--At
hearing such a Judgment, a Man will immediately cry out, What! is Wit
then a Fault, at a Time when every Body aims at having it, when nobody
writes but to shew he has it; when the Publick applauds even false
Thoughts, provided they are shining! Yes, 'twill doubtless be
applauded the first Day, a