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Page 27
_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.
The POLITENESS of a Subject is the _Freedom_ of that Subject
from all _Indelicacy_, Aukardness_, and _Roughness_.
GOOD BREEDING consists in a _respectful_ Carriage to others,
accompany'd with _Ease_ and _Politeness_.
It appears from hence that GOOD BREEDING and POLITENESS differ in
this; that GOOD BREEDING relates only to the Manners of _Persons_
in their Commerce together; Whereas Politeness may relate also to
_Books_, as well as to _Persons_, or to any Subjects of Taste and
Ornament.
So that _Politeness_ may subsist in a Subject, as in a _Cornish_, or
_Architrave_, where _good Breeding_ can't enter; But it is impossible
for _good Breeding_ to be offer'd without _Politeness_.
At the same time _good Breeding_ is not to be understood, as merely
the _Politeness_ of _Persons_; But as _Respect_, tender'd with
_Politeness_, in the Commerce between _Persons_.
It is easy to perceive, that _good Breeding_ is a different Behaviour
in different Countries, and in the same Countries at different
Periods, according to the Manners which are us'd amongst _polite_
Persons of those Places and Seasons.
In _England_ the chief Point of it _formerly_ was plac'd, in carrying
a _Respect_ in our Manners to all we convers'd with; whence every
Omission of the slightest Ceremony, as it might be construed into
a want of _Respect_, was particularly to be avoided; So that _good
Breeding_ became then
a precise Observance and Exercise of all the Motions and
Ceremonies, expressive of Respect, which might justly be paid
to every Person;
--This, as it is easy to imagine, requir'd much Nicety in the
Adjustment upon many Occasions, and created immense Trouble and
Constraint, and most ridiculous Embarrassments.
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