"Nor is it a wonder that Men are generally such faint Reasoners, and care so little to argue strictly on any trivial Subject in Company; when they dare so little exert their Reason in greater Matters, and are forc'd to argue lamely, where they have need of the greatest Activity and Strength. The same thing therefore happens here as in strong and healthy Bodys, which are debar'd their natural Exercise, and confin'd in a narrow Space. They are forc'd to use odd Gestures and Contortions."
Sensus Communis, An Essay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour in a Letter to a Friend [collected in Characteristics]
A complicated publication history. At least 10 entries in ESTC (1709, 1711, 1714, 1733, 1744, 1751, 1757, 1758, 1773, 1790).<br>
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See <u>Sensus Communis, An Essay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour in a Letter to a Friend.</u> (London: Printed for Egbert Sanger, 1709). &lt;<a href="http://estc.bl.uk/T47455">Link to ESTC</a>&gt;&lt;<a href="http://find.galegroup.com/ecco/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=ECCO&userGroupName=viva_uva&tabID=T001&docId=CW3316109411&type=multipage&contentSet=ECCOArticles&version=1.0&docLevel=FASCIMILE">Link to ECCO</a>&gt;<br>
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See also "Sensus Communis, An Essay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour in a Letter to a Friend" in <u>Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times. In Three Volumes.</u> (London: John Darby, 1711). &lt;<a href="http://estc.bl.uk/T30440">Link to ESTC</a>&gt;<br>
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Some text drawn from ECCO, most from Anthony Ashley Cooper, Third Earl of Shaftesbury. <u>Characteristics of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times</u>, ed. Lawrence E. Klein (Cambridge: CUP, 2001). Klein's text is based on the British Library's copy of the second edition of 1714. [Texts to be collated.]