4.  HUMOUR, if the Representation of it be just, is compleat and perfect in its Kind, and entirely fair and unstrain’d.—­Whereas in the Allusions of WIT, the Affinity is generally imperfect and defective in one Part or other; and even in those Points where the Affinity may be allow’d to subsist, some Nicety and Strain is usually requir’d to make it appear.

5.  HUMOUR generally appears in such Foibles, as each of the Company thinks himself superior to.—­Whereas WIT shews the Quickness and Abilities of the Person who discovers it, and places him superior to the rest of the Company.

6.  Humour, in the Representation of the Foibles of Persons in real Life, frequently exhibits very generous benevolent Sentiments of the Heart; And these, tho’ exerted in a particular odd Manner, justly command our Fondness and Love.—­Whereas in the Allusions of WIT, Severity, Bitterness, and Satire, are frequently exhibited.—­And where these are avoided, not worthy amiable Sentiments of the Heart, but quick unexpected Efforts of the Fancy, are presented.

7.  The odd Adventures, and Embarrassments, which Persons in real Life are drawn into by their Foibles, are fit Subjects of Mirth.  —­Whereas in pure WIT, the Allusions are rather surprizing, than mirthful; and the Agreements or Contrasts which are started between Objects, without any relation to the Foibles of Persons in real Life, are more fit to be admired for their Happiness and Propriety, than to excite our Laughter.—­Besides, WIT, in the frequent Repetition of it, tires the Imagination with its precipitate Sallies and Flights; and teizes the Judgment.—­Whereas HUMOUR, in the Representation of it, puts no Fatigue upon the Imagination, and gives exquisite Pleasure to the Judgment.

These seem to me to be the different Powers and Effects of HUMOUR and WIT.  However, the most agreeable Representations or Competitions of all others, appear not where they separately exist, but where they are united together in the same Fabric; where HUMOUR is the Ground-work and chief Substance, and WIT happily spread, quickens the whole with Embellishments.

This is the Excellency of the Character of Sir John Falstaff; the Ground-work is Humour, the Representation and Detection of a bragging and vaunting Coward in real Life; However, this alone would only have expos’d the Knight, as a meer Noll Bluff, to the Derision of the Company; And after they had once been gratify’d with his Chastisement, he would have sunk into Infamy, and become quite odious and intolerable:  But here the inimitable Wit of Sir John comes in to his Support, and gives a new Rise and Lustre to his Character; For the sake of his Wit you forgive his Cowardice; or rather, are fond of his Cowardice for the Occasions it gives to his Wit.  In short, the Humour furnishes a Subject and Spur to the Wit, and the Wit again supports and embellishes the Humour.