struction.... That conceit arrided
us most at that time, and still tickles our midriff to remember
where allusively to the flight of Astroea we pronounced--in
reference to the stockings still--that 'Modesty, taking her final
leave of mortals, her last blush was visible in her ascent to the
Heavens by the track of the glowing instep.'"

References of a somewhat amatory character often make sayings
acceptable, which for their intrinsic merit would scarcely raise a
smile, and Lamb soon seriously deplored the loss of this serviceable
assistance. He continues:--

"The fashion of jokes, with all other things, passes away as did
the transient mode which had so favoured us. The ankles of our fair
friends in a few weeks began to reassume their whiteness, and left
us scarce a leg to stand upon. Other female whims followed, but
none methought so pregnant, so invitatory of shrewd conceits, and
more than single meanings."

He tells us that Parson Este and Topham brought up the custom of witty
paragraphs first in the "World," a doubtful statement--and that even in
his day the leading papers began to give up employing permanent wits.
Many of our provincial papers still regale us with a column of facetiae,
but machine-made humour is not now much appreciated. We require
something more natural, and the jests in these papers now consist mostly
of extracts from the works, or anecdotes from the lives of celebrated
men. The pressure thus brought to bear upon Lamb for the production of
jests in a given time led him to indulge in very bad puns, and to try to
justify them as pleasant eccentricities. What can be expected from a man
who tells us that "the worst puns are the best," or who can applaud
Swift for having asked, on accidentally meeting a young student carrying
a hare; "Prithee, friend, is that your own hair or a wig?" He finds the
charm in such hazards in their utter irrelevancy, and truly they can
only be excused as flowing from a wild and unchastened fancy. It must
require great joviality or eccentricity to find any humour in
caricaturing a pun.

Speaking of the prospectus of a certain Burial Society, who promised a
handsome plate with an angel above and a flower below, Lamb
ventures--"Many a poor fellow, I dare swear, has that Angel and Flower
kept from the Angel and Punchbowl, while to provide himself a bier he
has curtailed himself of beer." But to record all Lamb's bad pu