Characters

   are reprinted from a copy of

    Sixty Nine Enigmatical

    Characters

   owned by the library of the University of Michigan. The essays of Joseph Warton is the

    Adventurer

   , and the typescript copy of the essay

    "Of Wit" from the

     Weekly Register

    (as reprinted in the

     Gentleman's Magazine

    ) are also taken from copies belonging to the University of Michigan.

    Edward Niles Hooker

    University of California, Los Angeles

   A Gentleman who had some Knowledge in the human Heart, was consulted about a Tragedy which was going to be acted: He answer'd that there was so much Wit in the Piece that he doubted of its Success.—At hearing such a Judgment, a Man will immediately cry out, What! is Wit then a Fault, at a Time when every Body aims at having it, when nobody writes but to shew he has it; when the Publick applauds even false Thoughts, provided they are shining! Yes, 'twill doubtless be applauded the first Day, and grow

    truth

   tiresome the next.

   That which they call Wit, is sometimes a new Simile, sometimes a fine Allusion: Here 'tis the Abuse of a Word which presents itself in one Sense, and is understood in another; there a delicate Relation between two uncommon Ideas: 'Tis an extraordinary Metaphor; 'tis something which in an Object does not at first present itself, but nevertheless is in 

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