27P ON' WIT. Nov. 2, 



that perpetual abfence of mind, which is the heigth 

 of gentility. Alvv^ays, therefore, begin with fome 

 fuch expreffion as this, " 1 am now going to tell the 

 very befl witticifm you ever heard, " This will raife 

 curiofity, it will excite admiration. 



4thly, If you would be a real wit, endeavour to get 

 rich as foon as you can. To fuperficial minds, ■ this 

 may feem an odd direftion. The wife and experienced, 

 however, know that a witty faying from a man worth ten 

 thoufand pounds will ahvays have a much finer effetl 

 ( ceteris paribus ) than another from a man worth only 

 iive ; and fo in proportion for any larger fum. 



Once more let me advife you to repeat your favou- 

 rite (lories over and over. This will give you a won- 

 derful facility of expreffion, and happy command of 

 gefture -, you will learn where to paufe, when to look 

 grave, and the critical moments when. you muft boldly 

 lead on the laugh. What think you would become of 

 .all the wit of the play-houfe, were not all the niceties 

 of ftage-efFe£t lludied before hand at Jiomc ? There is 

 indeed danger here, left he who laughed with you 

 yefterday fliould be your hearer again to day. This is 

 awkward, and may fpoil your reputation. There are 

 two approved methods of getting over this, one by a 

 fly nod to your friend to bribe him into filence, and 

 the other by making your ftory into a good old ftory, 

 J generally prefer the former. 



THALIA. 



On Gothic ArchiteEiure^ confidered as an Objc£l of Tajle, 



(Continued J'rom p. IZO.j 



JjY a mode of reafoning, fimilartothat purfuedin our 

 formernumber, we might be alfo led to conclude, that the 

 infide of aGothic cathederalis conftrufted upon principles 

 of true tafte; for, I believe no perfon who was ever made 



