Thus delightfully wrought, as this History is, with Humour and Ridicule, yet Cervantes, still fearful of tiring you with too much of the Errantry, has introduc’d the most charming Variety of other Adventures; —­All along in the pacific Intervals, you are inform’d of the private Occurrences between the Knight and his ’Squire; And from these, where it is least to be expected, you are surpriz’d with the most high and delicious Repast;—­ Nothing can be more pregnant with Mirth, than the Opposition continually working between the grave Solemnity and Dignity of Quixote, and the arch Ribaldry and Meanness of Sancho; And the Contrast can never be sufficiently admir’d, between the excellent fine Sense of the ONE, and the dangerous common Sense of the OTHER.

It is here that the Genius and Power of Cervantes is most admirably shewn; He was the greatest Master that ever appear’d, in finely opposing, and contrasting his Characters.  It is from hence that you feel a Poignancy and Relish in his Writings, which is not to be met with in any others; The natural Reflexions and Debates of Quixote and Sancho would have been barren, insipid, and trite, under other Management; But Cervantes, by his excellent Skill in the Contrast, has from these drawn a Regale, which for high, quick, racy Flavour, and Spirit, has yet never been equall’d.

It may here be enquir’d, What Species of Composition or Character is the most pleasurable, and mirthful, in all Nature?—­In Falstaff, you have Humour embelish’d with Wit; In Quixote, Humour made poignant with Ridicule; And it is certain that Humour must always be the Ground-work of such Subjects, no Oddities in inanimate Objects being capable of interesting our Passions so strongly, as the Foibles of Persons in real Life;—­The chief Substance of Johnson’s Compositions is Humour and Satire; upon which Plan, as hath been already observ’d, he is oblig’d to demolish, and render detestable, his own Characters;—­Humour and Raillery are also capable of furnishing a Repast of quick Relish and Flavour; In written Compositions, the Attack of the Raillery, as well as the Reception of it, may be happily conducted, which in other accidental Encounters are liable to Hazard; All Peevishness or Offence is thus easily avoided, and the Character attack’d is sav’d from being really contemptible;—­But then indeed the Pleasure you are to receive generally depends upon the Confusion of the Person attack’d, without there being in reason a sufficient Cause for this Confusion;—­It is for want of this just Foundation, that the Pleasure arising from Raillery is apt to come forth with less Freedom, Fulness, and Conviction, though with more Delicacy, than that which is derived from Wit, or Ridicule;—­However, Humour and Raillery united together, when the Raillery is founded upon some real Embarrassment in the Circumstance, as well as in the Confusion of the Person attack’d, will furnish a very high Entertainment; which has Pretensions to rival either Humour and Wit, or Humour and Ridicule.