Pagina 243 de 734

One quality which belongs to the mean state is Tact: it is

characteristic of a man of Tact to say and listen to such things

as are fit for a good man and a gentleman to say and listen to:

for there are things which are becoming for such a one to say and

listen to in the way of Jocularity, and there is a difference

between the Jocularity of the Gentleman and that of the

Vulgarian; and again, between that of the educated and uneducated

man. This you may see from a comparison of the Old and New

Comedy: in the former obscene talk made the fun; in the latter it

is rather innuendo: and this is no slight difference _as regards

decency_.

Well then, are we to characterise him who jests well by his

saying what is becoming a gentleman, or by his avoiding to pain

the object of his wit, or even by his giving him pleasure? or

will not such a definition be vague, since different things are

hateful and pleasant to different men?