An Essay towards Fixing the True Standards of Wit, Humour, Railery, Satire, and Ridicule (1744) Part 5

It appears therefore that _Raillery_ and _Ridicule_ differ in several Circ.u.mstances.

1. _Raillery_ can only be employ'd in relation to _Persons_, but _Ridicule_ may be employ'd in what relates either to _Persons_, or other _Objects_.

2. _Raillery_ is us'd only upon _slight_ Subjects, where no real Abilities or Merit are questioned, in order to avoid degrading the Person you attack, or rendering him contemptible; Whereas _Ridicule_ observes no such Decency, but endeavours really to degrade the Person attack'd, and to render him contemptible.

3. _Raillery_ may be pointed at a whimsical Circ.u.mstance, only because a Person is known to be tender upon it; and your Pleasure will arise from the _Embarra.s.sment_ he suffers, in being put to an Explanation;-- Thus a young Gentleman may be _rallied_ upon his Pa.s.sion for a Lady;-- At the same Time there may be no Ground for _Ridicule_ in this Circ.u.mstance, as it may no way deserve your _Derision_ or _Contempt_.

4. As it thus appears that there are Subjects of _Raillery_, into which _Ridicule_ cannot justly be admitted; So there are Subjects of _Ridicule_, wherein your Derision and Contempt are so strongly excited, that they are too gross for _Raillery_;--As a person tossed in a Blanket; or the unfortunate Attack which another has made upon a Windmill.

5. In short, _Raillery_, if the Adventures it is turn'd upon are too _gross_ and _luscious_, becomes _Ridicule_; And therefore, in Comparison together, _Raillery_ appears like _Wine_ of a thin Body, and delicate poignant Flavour; _Ridicule_, like a _Wine_ which is fuller, and more rich, and luscious.

_Quixote_ is a Character, wherein _Humour_ and _Ridicule_ are finely interwoven;--It is not a Subject of _Satire_, as the Knight is free from all Badness of Heart, and Immorality; Nor properly of _Raillery_, his Adventures in general being too _gross_ and _disastrous_;-- The _Humour_ appears, in the Representation of a Person in real Life, fancying himself to be, under the most solemn Obligations to attempt _hardy_ Atchievements; and upon this Whimsy immediately pursuing the most romantic Adventures, with great Gravity, Importance, and Self- sufficiency; To heighten your Mirth, the _hardy_ Atchievements to be accomplish'd by this Hero, are wittily contrasted by his own meagre weak Figure, and the _desperate Unfierceness_ of his Steed _Rozinante_;--The _Ridicule_ appears in the strange Absurdity of the Attempts, upon which the Knight chuses to exercise his Prowess; Its Poignancy is highly quicken'd, and consequently the Pleasure it gives you, by his miserable Disasters, and the doleful Mortifications of all his Importance and Dignity;--But here, after the Knight, by diverting you in this manner, has brought himself down to the lowest Mark, he rises again and forces your Esteem, by his excellent Sense, Learning and Judgment, upon any Subjects which are not ally'd to his Errantry; These continually act for the Advancement of his Character; And with such Supports and Abilities he always obtains your ready Attention, and never becomes heavy or tedious.

To these you are to add the perfect _good Breeding_ and _Civility_ of the Knight upon every Occasion; which are some Kind of Merit in his Favour, and ent.i.tle him to Respect, by the Rules of common Gentility and Decency; At the same time his Courage, his Honour, Generosity, and Humanity, are conspicuous in every Act and Attempt; The _Foibles_ which he possesses, besides giving you exquisite Pleasure, are wholly inspir'd by these worthy Principles; Nor is there any thing base, or detestable, in all his Temper or Conduct; It was from hence that the DUKE and the DUTCHESS were extremely delighted with his Visit at their _Castle_; And you yourself, if he existed in real Life, would be fond of his Company at your own Table; which proves him, upon the whole, to be an amiable Character;--It is therefore no wonder that Signior _Don Quixote of la Mancha_ has been so courteously receiv'd in every Country of _Europe_.

Thus delightfully wrought, as this History is, with _Humour_ and _Ridicule_, yet _Cervantes_, still fearful of tiring you with too much of the _Errantry_, has introduc'd the most charming Variety of other Adventures; --All along in the pacific Intervals, you are inform'd of the private Occurrences between the Knight and his 'Squire; And from these, where it is least to be expected, you are surpriz'd with the most high and delicious Repast;-- Nothing can be more pregnant with Mirth, than the Opposition continually working between the grave Solemnity and Dignity of _Quixote_, and the arch Ribaldry and Meanness of _Sancho_; And the Contrast can never be sufficiently admir'd, between the _excellent fine Sense_ of the ONE, and the _dangerous common Sense_ of the OTHER.

It is here that the Genius and Power of _Cervantes_ is most admirably shewn; He was the greatest Master that ever appear'd, in finely opposing, and contrasting his Characters. It is from hence that you feel a Poignancy and Relish in his Writings, which is not to be met with in any others; The natural Reflexions and Debates of _Quixote_ and _Sancho_ would have been barren, insipid, and trite, under other Management; But _Cervantes_, by his excellent Skill in the _Contrast_, has from these drawn a Regale, which for high, quick, racy Flavour, and Spirit, has yet never been equall'd.

It may here be enquir'd, What Species of Composition or Character is the most pleasurable, and mirthful, in all Nature?--In _Falstaff_, you have _Humour_ embelish'd with _Wit_; In _Quixote_, _Humour_ made poignant with _Ridicule_; And it is certain that _Humour_ must always be the Ground-work of such Subjects, no Oddities in inanimate Objects being capable of interesting our Pa.s.sions so strongly, as the Foibles of Persons in real Life;--The chief Substance of _Johnson_'s Compositions is _Humour_ and _Satire_; upon which Plan, as hath been already observ'd, he is oblig'd to demolish, and render detestable, his own Characters;--_Humour_ and _Raillery_ are also capable of furnis.h.i.+ng a Repast of quick Relish and Flavour; In written Compositions, the Attack of the _Raillery_, as well as the Reception of it, may be happily conducted, which in other accidental Encounters are liable to Hazard; All Peevishness or Offence is thus easily avoided, and the Character attack'd is sav'd from being really contemptible;--But then indeed the Pleasure you are to receive generally depends upon the Confusion of the Person attack'd, without there being in reason a sufficient Cause for this Confusion;--It is for want of this just Foundation, that the Pleasure arising from _Raillery_ is apt to come forth with less Freedom, Fulness, and Conviction, though with more Delicacy, than that which is derived from _Wit_, or _Ridicule_;--However, _Humour_ and _Raillery_ united together, when the _Raillery_ is founded upon some _real_ Embarra.s.sment in the Circ.u.mstance, as well as in the Confusion of the Person attack'd, will furnish a very high Entertainment; which has Pretensions to rival either _Humour_ and _Wit_, or _Humour_ and _Ridicule_.

To give an Instance of _Humour_ and _Raillery_, I shall insert _Horace_'s famous Description of his Embarra.s.sment with an impertinent Fellow. This indeed is ent.i.tl'd, in almost all the Editions of _Horace_, a _Satire_, but very improperly, as the Subject is not _Vice_ or _Immorality_;

Ibam forte via sacra, sicut meus est mos, Nescio quid meditans nugarum, at totus in illis: Accurrit quidam notus mihi nomine tantum; Arreptaque manu, Quid agis, dulcissime rerum?

Suaviter, ut nunc est, inquam: & cupio omnia quae vis.

c.u.m affectaretur, Num quid vis? occupo. At ille, Noris nos, inquit; docti sumus. Hc ego: Pluris Hoc, inquam, mihi eris. Misere discedere quaerens, Ire mod ocyus, interdum consistere: in aurem Dicere nescio quid puero: c.u.m sudor ad imos Manaret talos. O te, Bollane, cerebri Felicem: aiebam tacitus! c.u.m quidlibet ille Garriret, vicos, urbem laudaret; ut illi Nil respondebam: Misere cupis, inquit abire.

Jamdudum video: sed nil agis: usque tenebo: Persequar: hinc qu nunc iter est tibi? Nil opus est te Circ.u.magi: quemdam volo visere, non tibi notum: Trans Tiberim longe cubat is, prope Caesaris hortos.

Nil habeo quod agam, & non sum piger: usque sequar te, Demitto auriculas ut iniquae mentis asellus, c.u.m gravius dorso subiit onus. Incipit ille: Si bene me novi, non Visc.u.m pluris amic.u.m, Non Varium facies; nam quis me scribere plures Aut citius possit versus? quis membra movere Mollius? invideat quod & Hermogenes, ego canto.

Interpellandi locus hic erat: Est tibi mater, Cognati, queis te salvo est opus? Haud mihi quisquam: Omnes composui. Felices! nunc ego resto: Confice: namque instat fatum mihi triste, Sabella Qud puero cecinit divina mota a.n.u.s urna, Hunc neque dira venena, nec hosticus auferret ensis, Nec laterum dolor, aut tussis, nec tarda podagra; Garrulus hunc quando consumet c.u.mque loquaces.

Si sapiat, vitet, simul atque adoleverit aetas.

Ventum erat ad Vestae, quarta jam parte diei Praeterita; & casu tunc respondere vadato Debebat: qud ni fecisset, perdere litem.

Si me amas, inquit, paulum hic ades. Inteream, si Aut valeo stare, aut novi civilia jura: Et propero qu scis. Dubius sum quid faciam, inquit; Tene relinquam, an rem. Me, sodes. Non faciam, ille; Et praecedere coepit. Ego, ut contendere durum est c.u.m victore, sequor. Mecaenas quomodo tec.u.m?

Hinc repet.i.t. Paucorum hominum, & mentis bene sanae.

Nemo dexterius fortuna est usus. Haberes Magnum adjutorem, posset qui ferre secundas, Hunc hominem velles si tradere: dispeream, ni Summosses omnes. Non isto vivimus illic Qu tu rere modo, domus hac nec purior ulla est, Nec magis his aliena malis: nil mi officit unquam, Ditior hic, aut est quia doctior: est locus uni Cuique suus. Magnum narras, vix credibile. Atqui Sic habet. Accendis, quare cupiam magis illi Proximus esse. Veils tantummod: quae tua virtus, Expugnabis; & est qui vinci possit: eoque Difficiles aditus primos habet. Haud mihi deero, Muneribus servos corrumpam: non, hodie si Exclusus fuero, desistam: tempera quaeram: Occurram in triviis: deducam. Nil sine magno Vita labore dedit mortalibus. Haec dum agit, ecce Fuscus Aristius occurrit mihi carus, & illum Qui pulchre nosset. Consistimus. Unde venis? & Quo tendis? rogat, & respondet. Vellere coepi, Et prensare manu lentissima brachia, nutans, Distorquens oculos, ut me eriperet. Male salsus Ridens dissimulare: mec.u.m jecur urere bilis.

Certe nescio quid secret velle loqui te Aiebas mec.u.m. Memini bene; sed meliori Tempora dicam: hodie tricesima sabbata, vin'tu Curtis Judaeis oppedere? Nulla mihi, inquam, Religio est. At mi, sum paulo infirmior; unus Multorum ignosces; alias loquar. Hunccine solem Tam nigrum surrexe mihi: Fugit improbus, ac me Sub cultro linquit. Casu venit obvius illi Adversarius; &, Qu tu turp.i.s.sime! magna Inclamat voce; &, Licet antestari? Ego ver Oppono auriculam; rapit in jus. Clamor utrinque Undique concursus. Sic me servavit _Apollo_.

[Transcriber's Note: See end of _Essay_ for translation information.]

The Intention of _Horace_ in this Piece, is to expose an _impertinent_ Fellow, and to give a ludicrous Detail of his own _Embarra.s.sment_; Your Pleasure arises from the View which he gives you of his own Mortification, whereby he lays himself fairly open to your _Raillery_; This is the more poignant, and quick, from the real Distress which you see he endur'd, in this odd Attack; At the same Time the particular Turn of the Fellow, who chose in this Manner to pin himself upon another, is a very odd Species of impertinent _Humour_.--This Piece, as it stands, irresistibly forces your Mirth, and shakes you with Laughter; But to a Person of Discernment, it is chiefly at _Horace_'s Expence; Who in receiving and enduring such insolent Treatment, appears in a Light too low and ridiculous, though he has thought fit himself to exhibit the Scene again for the Diversion of the Public;

The Misere, cupis, ---- abire, Jamdudum video, sed nil agis, usque tenebo, Persequar;--

was an absolute Insult; And very unfit to be related by the Person who suffer'd it, as a Matter of Merriment;--Besides this Tameness of _Horace_, the Impudence of the Fellow is excessively nauseous and disgusting at the Bottom, though the whole carries a Froth of _Raillery_ and _Humour_ upon the Surface.

The Truth is, that this Piece, as it stands, would have properly proceeded from another Person, who had intended to expose the Impertinence and Impudence of the Fellow, and freely to _rally_ poor _Horace_, with some Mixture of _Ridicule_, upon his unfortunate Embarra.s.sment; upon this Basis it will appear with Propriety; Without which all Compositions of _Wit_, or _Humour_, or _Taste_, tho' at first they may pleasurably strike the Fancy or Sight, are at last disgusting to the Judgment.

Having here occasionally offer'd some Remarks upon this Composition, as it now stands, it may be proper to point out the Manner in which the _Humour_ and _Raillery_ of such an Embarra.s.sment, might have been carried to the highest Pitch; And the Description of it have been given by _Horace_ himself, without any Diminution of his own Gentility or Importance;--Imagine then that he had been join'd in his Walk by a weak, ignorant Person, of Good-nature, and the utmost Civility; one who fancy'd himself possessed of the greatest Talents, and fully persuaded that he gave all he convers'd with a particular Pleasure;-- Upon such an Attack, no Resentment or Anger could have been decently shewn by _Horace_, As the Person thus pestering him, was all the while intending the highest Compliment; And must therefore be received, and attended to, with perfect Complaisance; The _Humour_ of this Person would have been very entertaining, in the strange Conceit which he held of his own Abilities, and of the paticular Pleasure he was granting to _Horace_, in condescending to give him so much of his Company; In these Sentiments he should regard all _Horace_'s Excuses, Endeavours, and Struggles to be gone, as Expressions of his Sense of the Honour done him; which should be an Argument with this Person for obstinately persisting to honour him still further; All the while he must be supported by some _real Importance_ belonging to him, attended with _good Breeding_, and strengthened by such occasional Instances of _Sense_, as may secure him from being trampled upon, or becoming absolutely contemptible; In such an Adventure the Mortification, and Distress of _Horace_, would be excessively whimsical and severe; especially as he would be depriv'd of all Succour and Relief; being in Decency oblig'd, not only to suppress all Anger or Uneasiness, but, what is exquisitely quick, to receive this whole Treatment with the utmost Complacency; An _Embarra.s.sment_ of this sort, finely described, would have yielded the greatest Pleasure to the Reader, and carried the _Raillery_ upon _Horace_, without hurting or degrading him, to the highest Degree of _Poignancy_; And from hence may be conceiv'd, what delightful Entertainments are capable of being drawn from _Humour_ and _Raillery_.

It is also easy to apprehend, that the several Subjects of _Wit_, _Humour_, _Raillery_, _Satire_, and _Ridicule_, appear not only _singly_ upon many Occasions, or _two_ of them combined together, but are also frequently united in other Combinations, which are more _complicate_; An Instance of the Union together of _Humour_, _Raillery_, and _Ridicule_, I remember to have read somewhere in _Voiture_'s Letters; He is in _Spain_, and upon the Point of proceeding from thence to some other Place in an _English_ Vessel; After he has written this Account of himself to a Lady at _Paris_, he proceeds in his Letter to this Purpose;

"You may perhaps apprehend, that I shall be in some Danger this Voyage, of falling into the Hands of a _Barbary_ Corsair; But to relieve you from all such Fears, I shall beg Leave to tell you, what my honest Captain has inform'd me himself, for my own Satisfaction; He suspected, it seems, that I might have some Uneasiness upon this Head; and has therefore privately a.s.sured me, that I have no need to be afraid of being taken with him; for that whenever it is likely to come to this, he will infallibly blow up the s.h.i.+p with his own Hands;--After this, I presume, you will be perfectly easy, that I am in no Danger of going to _Sallee_;"

This is exquisitely _rich_; The brave and odd Fancy of the _English_ Captain, in finding out for himself, and _privately_ communicating to _Voiture_, this Method of Security from Slavery, abounds with the highest _Humour_; At the same time the honest Tar, as a _Projecter_, is excessively open to _Ridicule_, for his Scheme to blow them all up, in order to prevent their being taken Prisoners; There is besides these, a very full _Raillery_, which _Voiture_ here opens upon _himself_; For as this Adventure, which he is going to be engaged in, has been attended, as yet, with no Mischief; nor is certain to be so, the whole is to be consider'd, at present, as only a slight Sc.r.a.pe; especially as he exhibits it in this manner himself, and invites you to make it the Object of your Pleasure, and _Raillery_;--It may also be observ'd, that the _Humour_ in this Subject, which flows from the _Captain_, is adorn'd with a very peculiar, and pleasing _Propriety_; As it is not barely a _Whim_, or the Result of an _odd Sourness_ or _queer Pride_, but the Effect of his _Courage_, and of that Freedom from all Terror at Death, which is perfectly amiable in his Character.

There are other Combinations of _Wit_, _Humour_, _Raillery_, _Satire_, and _Ridicule_, where _four_ of them, or all _five_, are united in one Subject;--Like various _Notes_ in _Music_, sounding together, and jointly composing one exquisite Piece of Harmony;--Or like different _Rays_ of _Light_, s.h.i.+ning together in one _Rainbow_: It is pleasant to _divide_ these _Combinations_, and to view as with a _Prism_, the different Rays united in each; of which _Humour_, like the _Red_, is eminent for its superior Force and Excellence;--When the Judgment is thus capable of parting, and easily a.s.signing the several Quant.i.ties, and Proportions of each, it heightens our Pleasure, and gives us an absolute Command over the Subject; But they are often so intimately mix'd, and blended together, that it is difficult to separate them clearly, tho' they are all certainly felt in the same Piece;--Like the different _Flavours_ of rich _Fruits_, which are inseparably mix'd, yet all perfectly tasted, in one _Pine-Apple_.

_Raillery_, and _Satire_, are extremely different;

1. _Raillery_, is a genteel poignant Attack of _slight_ Foibles and Oddities; _Satire_ a witty and severe Attack of _mischievous_ Habits and Vices.

2. The _Intention_ of _Raillery_, is to procure your _Pleasure_, by exposing the little Embarra.s.sment of a Person; But the _Intention_ of _Satire_, is to raise your _Detestation_, by exposing the real Deformity of his Vices.

3. If in _Raillery_ the Sting be given too deep and severe, it will sink into Malice and Rudeness, And your Pleasure will not be justifiable; But _Satire_, the more deep and severe the Sting of it is, will be the more excellent; Its Intention being entirely to root out and destroy the Vice.

4. It is a just Maxim upon these Subjects, that in _Raillery_ a good-natur'd Esteem ought always to appear, without any Resentment or Bitterness; In _Satire_ a generous free Indignation, without any sneaking Fear or Tenderness; It being a sort of partaking in the Guilt to keep any Terms with Vices.

It is from hence that _Juvenal_, as a _Satirist_, is greatly superior to _Horace_; But indeed many of the short Compositions of _Horace_, which are indiscriminately ranged together, under the general Name of _Satires_, are not properly such, but Pieces of _Raillery_ or _Ridicule_.

As _Raillery_, in order to be decent, can only be exercised upon _slight_ Misfortunes and Foibles, attended with no deep Mischief, nor with any Reproach upon real Merit, so it ought only to be used between _Equals_ and _Intimates_; It being evidently a Liberty too great to be taken by an _Inferior_; and too inequitable to be taken by a _Superior_, as his Rank s.h.i.+elds him from any Return.

_Raillery_ is the most agreeable, when it is founded on a _slight_ Embarra.s.sment 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 Embarra.s.sment 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 Embarra.s.sment, 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 Embarra.s.sments.

However, these Modes of _good Breeding_ were not to be abolished, as it was impossible to dispense with the _Respect_ annex'd to them, without some further Pretence than of their _Inconvenience_ only; which no Person could decently urge, or admit in his own behalf, when it was his Province to pay any Ceremonies to another; In this Difficulty it was at last happily observ'd, for the Advantage of genteel Commerce and Society, that _whatever gives Trouble, is inconsistent with Respect_; Upon which Foundation, all Ceremonies which create Embarra.s.sments or Trouble to either Side, are now justly exploded; And the _Ease_ of each other is the Point most peculiarly consulted by _well-bred_ Persons.

If this Attention to _Ease_ was properly conducted, so that it might always appear to have _Respect_ for its Motive; And only to act in Obedience to _that_, as the ruling Principle, it would then comprehend the just Plan of _good Breeding_; But as _this_ was formerly enc.u.mber'd with Ceremonies and Embarra.s.sments, so the modern _good Breeding_ perhaps deviates too far into Negligence and Disregard; --A Fault more unpardonable than the former; As an Inconvenience, evidently proceeding from the _Respect_ which is paid to us, may be easily excus'd; But a Freedom, which carries the Air of _Neglect_ with it, gives a lasting Offence.