Page:Passages from the Life of a Philosopher.djvu/379

CHAPTER XXVII.

wit.

Poor Dogs—Puns Double and Triple—History of the Silver Lady—Disappointed by the Milliner—The Philosopher performs her functions—Lady Morgan's Criticism—Allsop's Beer—Sydney Smith— Toss up a Bishop—Lady M... and the Gipsy in Spain—Epigram on the Planet Neptune—Epigram on Henry Drummond's attack upon Catholics in the House of Commons—On Catholic Miracles.

It has often struck me that an analysis of the causes of wit would be a very interesting subject of inquiry. With that view I collected many jest-books, but fortunately in this one instance I had resolution to abstain from distracting my attention from more important inquiries.

I may, however, note some illustrations of it which occur to my memory. The late Sir Harris Nicolas used to practice rather strongly upon some of his friends. I was not an unwilling victim. The pleasure derived from the wit far exceeded any pain it inflicted. Indeed, Sir Harris himself one day expressed his disappointment at my insensibility, by saying that he had never in his whole life been able really to hit me.

The late Lord S.... was sitting with him one morning listening to a very astute but rather dry explanation of some matter about which his Lordship had inquired. At last he threw himself back in his arm-chair and said, "My dear Nicolas, I am very stupid this morning: my brains are all