The expression "Bel Esprit" is much perverted, for all that one can say of the different kinds of mind meet together in the "Bel Esprit." Yet as the epithet is bestowed on an infinite number of bad poets and tedious authors, it is more often used to ridicule than to praise.
There are yet many other epithets for the mind which mean the same thing, the difference lies in the tone and manner of saying them, but as tones and manner cannot appear in writing I shall not go into distinctions I cannot explain. Custom explains this in saying that a man has wit, has much wit, that he is a great wit; there are tones and manners which make all the difference between phrases which seem all alike on paper, and yet express a different order of mind.
So we say that a man has only one kind of wit, that he has several, that he has every variety of wit.
One can be a fool with much wit, and one need not be a fool even with very little wit.
To have much mind is a doubtful expression. It may mean every class of mind that can be mentioned, it may mean none in particular. It may mean that he talks sensibly while he acts foolishly. We may have a mind, but a narrow one. A mind may be fitted for some things, not for others. We may have a large measure of mind fitted for nothing, and one is often inconvenienced with much mind; still of this kind of mind we may say that it is sometimes pleasing in society.
Though the gifts of the mind are infinite, they can, it seems to me, be thus classified.
There are some so beautiful that everyone can see and feel their beauty.
There are some lovely, it is true, but which are wearisome.
There are some which are lovely, which all the world admire, but without knowing why.
There are some so refined and delicate that few are capable even of remarking all their beauties.