vi

PREFA C E.

where there was nothing but froth at the top, while others have fettled it to be a flash from the jarring of difcordant ideas, and have purfued it like a Will with the Wifp, or a Jack with the Lanthern; and fome again, more groveling, imagine it to be what is vulgarly called Fun, and make it confift in a Pun, a trick of Leger de Main, or a double Entendre; but as Shakspear obferves, "How every fool can play

WIT feemingly owes its birth to a warm climate, where Apollo prefides with the Mufes; where Genius arrives at its greatest state of maturity, and is fpontaneously produced in Greece; where Athens, the principal feat of learning, was the ancient refidence. In modern times it has flourished in Italy, where as their poetry is allowed to be the most fublime, fo is their Concetto esteemed to be the most delicate. The French fhine in Jeu d'Efprit. Still it may be inferred that mankind have ever been on the fame level in respect to intellect, though it must be allowed that it has worn a different garb, according to the different fafhions of the times. In the dark ages we find it hid under a cloud, but when the Auguftan approached, It fuddenly burt forth like a Meteor into its prefent refined ftate, and that our Northern Iland is not a stranger to its influence,I hope the following pages will fully prove.

M.

M. Menage, a celebrated French Wit, has wrote the following paffage: "On s'imagine que les Bons Mots ne fervent que diverter ils fervent encore a rendre Service."—It is a common notion that Bon Mots ferve only to amuse, they are also profitable for inftruction.

I will not trefpafs further on my Reader's patience, who already wishes to turn over a new leaf, nor, in the very commencement of my book, will I trangrefs. that brevity, which, according to our great Bard, is the Soul of Wit

"Memoria admodum prompta." Locke.

FUGITIVE

THE

FUGITIVE

MISCELLANY

OF

BON MOT S, &c.

JOHN RAP, of the parish of Burton Agnes,

near Bridlington in Yorkshire, was fo unkind a husband, so severe a father, fo rigid a master, and fo bad a neighbour in general, that not a tear was fhed at his funeral. The Sexton obferved, that he had officiated in that capacity forty five years, and that an inftance of the fort had never happened before, and that it might not difgrace the village, feized a little boy and lugged his ears moft feverely, which foon produced the defired effect.

Dr. A. Physician at Newcastle, being fum. moned to a veftry in order to reprimand the t fexton for drunkennefs; he dwelt fo long on the fexton's misconduct, as to raise his choler, fo as to draw from him this expreffion, Sir! I was in hopes you would have treated my failings with more gentlenefs, or that you would have been the last man alive to appear against me, as I have covered fo many blunders of your's!

The Rev. Dr. ---, Rector of Hurworth, in the county of Durham, preached three Sundays fucceffively upon thefe words: Behold now the ax is laid to the root of the tree, Matthew iii. 10. It happened that a timber merchant came to the village and inquired at the public houfe, if the landlord could direct him to a good purchase. The hoft very gravely recommended him to the parfon of the parish, for, fays he, he has been felling wood the laft three weeks. The unwary traveller believed the information, and waited upon his Reverence. The doctor, aftonished at the application, began to remonstrate with the merchant upon his info. lence. The man, equally furprised, very coolly gave his authority: when the Rector's wife thus unravelled the mystery: "My dear, I hope