Sociable Letters 249 



set my love, it is fixed like eternity, and is as full as 

 infinite. My love is not fixed suddenly, for it takes 

 experience and consideration to help to place it, both 

 which have been my guides and directors to love you, 

 which makes me love you much, and shall make me 

 love you long, if souls die not, and so I shall alwayes, 

 and in all occasions, be. Madam, 



Your constant friend and humble servant. 



OF SEVERAL SORTS OF WIT 



Madam, — Since I writ to you that letter of the first 

 of the last month, I have several times conversed with 

 Mrs. R. E. and I find her wit runs in parts, like as 

 musick, where there must be several parties to play 

 or sing several parts; she is not a whole concert 

 her self, neither can she play the grounds of wit, but 

 yet she can make a shift to fill up a note ; and it is 

 to be observed, that wit in several persons runs on 

 several subjects, but few have general wits, as to 

 play musically upon every subject, especially without 

 making a fault; for I have known some, on some 

 particular subjects, will be wonderful witty, and on 

 others mere dunces and idiots. And for parts of wit, 

 some have gossiping wit, as midwife and nurse wit, 

 also wafer and hippocras wit, ale and cake wit, as in 

 christning, churching, lying in, and other gossipings; 

 others have bridal wit, gamesome wit, also gaming 

 wit, tavern- wit, brothel- wit, and some have court- 

 wit, which is a jeering scoffing wit ; but all these are 

 but scums or dregs of wit, onely scum- wit swims on 

 the top, which soon boyls over, and dreg-wit lies at 

 the bottom, and is hardly stirred without much 

 motion to raise it up. Thus several sorts of wit run 



