Raillery is the most agreeable, when it is founded on a slight Embarrassment or Foible, which upon being unfolded, appears to have arisen from the real Merit, or from the Excess of any Virtue, in the Person attack’d.

But yet this Embarrassment must always be real, and attended with the Chagrin or Confusion of the rally’d Person, or capable of being fairly suppos’d to have been so; otherwise the Attack will be void of all Poignancy, and Pleasure to the Company; And evaporate either into indirect Flattery, or else into the Insipid.

Thus, to attack a fine Lady upon the Enemies she has made, by the mischievous Effects of her Beauty, will be properly genteel indirect Flattery—­if it be well conducted,—­otherwise, the Insipid; But it cannot be deem’d Raillery; It being impossible to suppose the Lady really chagrin’d by such an imaginary Misfortune, or uneasy at any Explanation upon this Subject;

Raillery ought soon to be ended; For by long keeping the Person attack’d, even in a slight Pain, and continuing to dwell upon his Mis-adventures, you become rude and ill-natur’d;—­Or if the Raillery be only turn’d upon an Embarrassment, arising from the Excess of Merit or Abilities, Yet if it be long confined upon the same Subject, the Person it is pointed at, will either suspect that your Aim is, to leave some Impression against him, or else that you are designing him a tedious dark Compliment; And accordingly he will either regard you with Hatred or Contempt;—­Much less should a Person, who introduces himself as a Subject of Raillery, insist long upon it; For either he will be offensive in engrossing all Attention to himself; or if the Company are pleas’d, it must be by his Buffoonery.

The Difference between Satire, and Ridicule, has been already pointed out;—­Satire being always concerned with the Vices of Persons;—­Whereas Ridicule is justly employ’d, not upon the Vices, but the Foibles or Meannesses of Persons, And also upon the Improprieties of other Subjects; And is directed, not to raise your Detestation, but your Derision and Contempt;—­It being evident that Immoralities and Vice are too detestable for Ridicule, and are therefore properly the Subject of Satire; Whereas Foibles and Meannesses are too harmless for Satire, and deserve only to be treated with Ridicule.

The usual Artillery of Ridicule is Wit; whereby the Affinity or Coincidence of any Object with others, which are absurd and contemptible, is unexpectedly exhibited;—­There is also another, very forcible, Manner in which Ridicule may act; And that is by employing Humour alone; Thus the Foible or Queerness of any Person will be most fully ridicul’d, by naturally dressing yourself, or any other Person in that Foible, and exerting its full Strength and Vigour.