ve read
somewhere in the _Spectators_; where Sir _Roger de Coverley_
intimating the Splendor which the perverse Widow should have appear'd
in, if she had commenced Lady _Coverley_, says:

_That he would have given her a_ Coalpit _to have kept her in_ clean
Linnen: _And that her Finger should have_ sparkled _with one hundred
of his richest_ Acres.

The joint Introduction of these _opposite_ Objects, as a _Coalpit_
with _clean Linnen_, and _dirty Acres_ with the _Lustre_ of a _Jewel_,
is _just_ in this Instance, as they really produce each other in their
Consequences; The _natural Opposition_ between them, which is strongly
_elucidated_ by their _Arrangement_ together, and at the same time
their _unexpected Connexion_ in their Consequences, strike us with a
_Surprize_, which exhibits the _Brilliancy_ and _Sparkling_ of WIT.

There is also in this Instance, besides the WIT, a Spirit of
_Generosity_, and _Magnificence_, discover'd by Sir _Roger_, from
the known Value of a _Coalpit_, and of so many rich _Acres_.

This Kind of WIT, resulting from the sudden _Arrangement_ together of
two _opposite_ Objects, is rarer, than that which is obtained from
two _similar_ Objects; It abounds with a high _Surprize_, and
_Brilliancy_; and also strongly _elucidates_ the _original_ Object,
from the _Contrast_ presented between _this_, and the _auxiliary_ one;
In the same manner as _White_ is more clearly set _off_, by being
arranged with _Black_.

It may be proper to observe, that WIT, besides being struck out by
_just_, and _direct_ Introductions of _auxiliary_ Subjects, is also
sometimes obtain'd by _Transitions_ from one Subject to another, by
the Help of an _equivocal Word_; which like a _Bridge_, with two
Roads meeting at the End of it, leads to two different Places.
_Transitions_, thus made from the right Course, have indeed the
Pretence of being _natural_; but they ought always to lead us
to something _brilliant_ or poignant, in order to justify their
_Deviation_; and not to end only at a ridiculous PUN, void of all
Spirit and Poignancy.

The WIT, in such Instances, results, as in all others, from the quick
_Arrangement_ together of two Subjects; But that, which was first
intended for the _original_ one, is dropped; And a new _original_
Subject is started, through the _double Meaning_ of a Word, and
suddenly _enlighten'd_.

To give a _trite_ Instance of this kind of WIT.

A PEER coming out of the House of Lords, and wanti