LONDON:
ELLIOT STOCK, 62 PATERNOSTER ROW
1890
CONTENTS.
| CHAP. | PAGE | |
| I. | Introductory Remarks on the RealUse and Importance of Jests andAnecdotes | [ 1] |
| II. | Origin of this Class of Literature,and its Dependence on the Conditionsof Society—Jests beforeJest-books—Influence of theArts of Writing and PrintingLong Subsequent to the Introductionof Caricature andHumour | [ 13] |
| III. | Literature and the Drama asContributories to Jocular Literature—Dependenceon Surroundingsand Circumstances | [ 22] |
| IV. | Justification for the Present Undertaking—LiteraryInterestof the Subject—The VariousClasses of Jest—The SeriousAnecdote the Original Type,and the Jest an Evolution—Greekand Roman Examples—The“Deipnosophistæ” of Athenæus | [ 29] |
| V. | The “Noctes Atticæ”—PeculiarValue of the Work—The“Lives of the Philosophers,” byDiogenes Laertius—Characterof the Book—The Golden Tripos | [ 46] |
| VI. | The Greek Anthology—GreekEpigrams—Herodotus—Aristophanes—Plato | [ 57] |
| VII. | Formulation of the Jest—EditorialTreatment of Stories—SophisticatedVersions | [ 69] |
| VIII. | The same Subject continued—TheAnecdote-monger | [ 79] |
| IX. | The Marred Anecdote—Gaulardisms—M.Goussaut—The Retortand the Pun—“Maloniana”—MetricalAdaptations—Second-handFacetiæ—Parallel Versions | [ 92] |
| X. | Affiliation of Stories—ParallelIllustrations—The LiteraryClub—Reynolds, Johnson, andGarrick—Two Tudor Jest-books—EuropeanGrafts on OrientalOriginals—Martin Elginbrod—ParsonHobart—The “Bravo ofVenice” | [ 111] |
| XI. | The Ballad and the NurseryRhyme—Philosophical Side ofthe Question—“Jack the Giant-killer” | [ 129] |
| XII. | Continental Influence—The“Ana”—The “Convivial Discourses”—WhimsicalInventions—ShakespearJest-books—Changein Public Taste | [ 142] |
| XIII. | The “Hundred Merry Tales”—TheAuthorship discussed | [ 156] |
| XIV. | “Merry Tales and Quick Answers” | [ 162] |
| XV. | Facetious Biographies | [ 168] |
| XVI. | Analecta | [ 177] |
| XVII. | The Subject Continued | [ 183] |
| XVIII. | “Joe Miller’s Jests”—History,Character, and Success of thePublication—John Mottley theEditor | [ 188] |
| XIX. | Jest-books considered as Historicaland Literary Material—TheTwofold Point Illustrated—Localisationof Stories | [ 200] |
| XX. | The so-called “Tales of Skelton”—Specimensof them—Sir ThomasMore and the Lunatic—TheFoolish Duke of Newcastle—Pennantthe Antiquary—The“Gothamite Tales”—Storiesconnected with Wales and Scotland | [ 210] |
STUDIES IN
JOCULAR LITERATURE
CHAPTER I.
Introductory Remarks on the Real Use and Importance of Jests and Anecdotes.
ONE of the Anglo-Saxon kings gave the manor of Walworth to his jester Nithardus; and we have all heard how the magnificent benefaction of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, subsequently repaired by Sir Richard Whittington, was founded by Rahere, the joculator and favourite of a later monarch of this isle. In former days, to be a fool within certain lines, or a buffoon of a special type, was a walk of life not to be despised either by a man or by his friends. The jokes which he made were negotiable securities of first-class value. Not a five-pound note, but broad lands and the smiles of a prince, awaited the fortunate utterer of the bon-mot and the fountain of merriment and good humour.