Bon-Mots of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century (1897)

Jul 19, 2018



Both published in 1897, Bon-Mots of the Eighteenth Century and Bon-Mots of the Nineteenth Century, pretty much deliver what they promise — that is, a compilation of some of the best conversational witticisms of the two centuries. Examples from many famous and expected names adorn its pages — including Joseph Addison, Samuel Johnson, Oscar Wilde, and Lord Byron — but we are also introduced to more obscure though no less prolific sources, such as the actor Charles Bannister and the Irish politician John Philpot Curran. Although many of the bon-mots might not stand the test of time — so often firmly rooted in the language or the culture of the time as they are — some don't fair too badly today. Also don't miss the two introductions which each include entertaining examples of how various writers have defined "wit" (in Bon-Mots of the Eighteenth Century) and "humour" (in Bon-Mots of the Nineteenth Century). Look out also for the fun little "grotesques" that litter the pages of both volumes, by English artist Alice B. Woodward.
Bon-Mots of the Nineteenth Century, by Walter Jerrold; 1897; London : J. M. Dent.