very part. A foldier, finding a horse-shoe, stuck it into his girdle-a bullet hit him on the "Well, fays he, I find a little armour will serve the turn, if it be but rightly placed." A fenfible reflection, but not wit. Garrick afked Rich" how much Covent-Garden houfe would hold ?" " I should know to a fhilling, replied Rich, if you would play Richard in it.” An elegant compliment, and better than wit. Having, perhaps, thrown fome light on this fubject, I will leave it to the reader's fagacity to improve these short hints, and compleat what I have haftily fketched-but, before I conclude, permit me to give an instance of wit combined with humour and pun, and the rather, as it stands in need of a flight introduction, which will ferve as a proof of local wit becoming univerfal, when rightly understood. When When the Jefuits were difperfed, Voltaire's Chateau afforded an afylum to one of them, an inoffenfive priest called Adam. "Give me leave," fays Voltaire to his company, "to introduce to you Father Adam-but not the firft of men"it is fhort, but comprehends more than may appear at the first glance. After having, I hope, proved that a wit is a jugler; I do not think it neceffary to prove, that a jugler is a wit, it being a self-evident propofition, if we admit the principle I have endeavoured to establish, of both depending on a fubftitution of one thing for another by a dexterous change. An Indian Tale. WHEN the hofts of the mighty Timur fpread from the deferts of Tartary over the fertile plains of Indoftan, numerous, and destroying as locufts; their chief, glorying in the greatness of his strength, surveyed with an averted look the mountains he had paffed, and smiled at the barrier he had furmounted. 66 By fortitude and valour, faid he, we fubdue our enemies; by patience and perseverance we overcome even the ftupendous works of nature, which has elevated mountains in vain, to ftop the progrefs of him determined to conquer !" While his heart dilated with pride, the foldiers ravaged the country through which they passed, committing all the exceffes an unrefisted army inflicts on the wretched inhabitants. "Bring me to your chief," exclaimed a fage they had dragged from his retreat, "let me behold this mighty conqueror before my eyes are closed in endless night; perchance the words of Zadib may enter his ears-may reach his heart!" years The air of dignity with which he uttered this, arrested the sword of the foldiers-" Behold," faid they to Timur, 66 a man of who feeketh thy prefence." 66 My defire," faid Zadib, "is to confer with the mighty Scythian—he is great, but will not turn afide from the wisdom of experience." Speak freely," replied Timur," an enemy incapable of refiftance I treat as a friend-enter with me this Temple of Viftnoo-inftruction cannot be heard amid the noise of a paffing army." "The filence of this facred place,” begun Zadib," is favourable to my fubject-O Vistnoo endue thy votary with confidence K 3 confidence to utter the words of truth before this leader of armies, and prepare his mind to receive thy wisdom; of which my tongue is but the feeble organ!" Vistnoo," fays Timur," is no God of mine, but a benefit is always to be received with gratitude-if I profit from his inspiration, this temple shall flame with my offerings." "What could induce the chief," commenced Zadib, "of the wide-extended plains of Tartary, to leave the habitation of his progenitors, and feek in lands remote for what his own fo much better afforded?—Are the pastures of Indostan more fertile than those of Scythia, is the milk of our mares more plentiful, or the flesh of our horfes fuperior to those of the country which gave thee life? No, these things are not fo-the burning fun scorches our herbage, our cattle yield but little milk, nor afford flesh worthy the hunger of a Tartar. Why then dost thou |