and Foes, and, in a word, stand as Butts in
Conversation, for every one to shoot at that pleases.
I know several of these Butts, who are Men of
Wit and Sense, though by some odd Turn of Humour,
some unlucky Cast in their Person or Behaviour, they
have always the Misfortune to make the Company merry.
The Truth of it is, a Man is not qualified for a Butt,
who has not a good deal of Wit and Vivacity, even
in the ridiculous side of his Character. A stupid
Butt is only fit for the Conversation of ordinary
People: Men of Wit require one that will give
them Play, and bestir himself in the absurd Part of
his Behaviour. A Butt with these Accomplishments
frequently gets the Laugh of his side, and turns the
Ridicule upon him that attacks him. Sir John
Falstaff was an Hero of this Species, and gives
a good Description of himself in his Capacity of a
Butt, after the following manner; Men of
all Sorts (says that merry Knight) take a pride
to gird at me. The Brain of Man is not able to
invent any thing that tends to Laughter more than I
invent, or is invented on me. I am not only Witty
in my self, but the Cause that Wit is in other Men.
[3]
C.
[Footnote 1: Chap. ix. Sec. 13. Thomas
Hobbes’s ‘Human Nature’ was published
in 1650. He died in 1679, aged 91.]
[Footnote 2: Boileau’s 4th satire.
John Dennis was at this time a leading critic of the
French school, to whom Pope afterwards attached lasting
ridicule. He died in 1734, aged 77.]
[Footnote 3: ‘Henry IV Part II’ Act
I Sec. 2.]
* * * *
*
No. 48. Wednesday, April 25,
1711. Steele.
... Per multas
aditum sibi saepe figuras
Repperit ...
Ovid
My Correspondents take it ill if I do not, from Time
to Time let them know I have received their Letters.
The most effectual Way will be to publish some of
them that are upon important Subjects; which I shall
introduce with a Letter of my own that I writ a Fortnight
ago to a Fraternity who thought fit to make me an
honorary Member.
To the President and Fellows of the Ugly
Club.
May it please your Deformities,
I have received the Notification of the
Honour you have done me, in admitting me into your
Society. I acknowledge my Want of Merit, and
for that Reason shall endeavour at all Times to make
up my own Failures, by introducing and recommending
to the Club Persons of more undoubted Qualifications
than I can pretend to. I shall next Week come
down in the Stage-Coach, in order to take my Seat
at the Board; and shall bring with me a Candidate
of each Sex. The Persons I shall present to
you, are an old Beau and a modern Pict.
If they are not so eminently gifted by Nature as
our Assembly expects, give me Leave to say their
