THE SCOT AND HUMOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14925, 24 February 1912, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE SCOT AND HUMOUR.

BT HARRY-LAUDER.

I am afraid that my countrymen have no legal redress: but, all the same. I am

strongly of the opinion that one of the

greatest libels ever circulated is the widespread repot that " Scotsmen have no sense of humour at alt." In other words, the natives of " the land of bagpipes, kilts, and shortbread" are

accused of being so thick-headed as to

be utterly incapable of seeing and appreciating, the wittiest remark ever made—for a joke has never been made that, according to the majority of critics of the national character, a Scotsman has not

failed to see. And, believe me, when I think of this dastardly accusation, my blood boils «so furiously that nothing but a three days' sitting on the North Pole could possibly make up temperature normal again. Now, I frankly, admit that the sense of humour of the average Scotsman may possibly not be quite so impulsively quick as that o fthe neighbour's across the Border, but the fact must-never be lost sight of that many people have so rapid a sense of the ridiculous that it may almost be said to be "anticipatory.". In fact, some nimble-brained mortals frequently see a joke before the actual . mirth-provoking point is reached. But is this an advantage? Generally speaking, 1 am inclined to think it is not, in that good jokes and stories are frequently, from other people's point of view, made to fall as flat as a pancake by what can, I think, be most aptly, described as "the anticipatory laugh."

Again, the quality of much of the socalled humour whicn makes some people hold their sides with merriment is, to say the least of it, of a most inferior order, and from time to time 1 have been compelled to listen to stories which have been so entirely devoid of any merriment at ell that the perpetrators thereof should have been hung, urawn, and quartered on the spot. L'niortunately, however, there is no legal penalty attached to the telling of funereal stories of this sort, and so many people are to-day at large who ought, witaout a doubt, to be enjoying the delights of those residences which His Majesty so thoughtfully provides for his subjects entirely tree ot charge.

But would a Scotsman lower himself bywasting valuable breath and straining the muscles of his throat by laughing at su a wit. Not he, neither would a Scotswoman. And by refusing to become a party to foui deedsa bad joke is every bit as unpleasant in its far-reaching consequences as a bad egg, always excluding election eggs.— they snow themselves possessed, at any rate, of good taste. In fine, the average Scotsman, who is being condemned in so wholesale a manner as being deficient in the laughing organs, very frequently because he rightly considers the circumstances do not justify indulgence in laughter at all. And, alter all, why, O why, should any of us ' smile a smile ' at a bad joke? We arc positively rude to those Mho give us bad wines or spirits; is there any reason, therefore, why we should . acoinage those who give us bad humour?

In Scotland I have often met Scotsmen who, in the midst of a conversation .n quite a different subject, have suddenly commenced to chortle unostentatiously and quietly to themselves, and on asking" them what on earth they are laughing at, :be reply has been: Merely at a little story that I was told last week." I can, however, not recall a single instance in England of meeting people who have been so tickled" by a good joke as to be able to enjoy it. as much a week afterwards as at the time they first heard it.

Another characteristic peculiar to the Scotch nation is, I think, the frank criticism which your Scotsmen bestow upon wit that be consider does not merit the title. Thus, I remember an English friend of mine telling me that he was once with a Scotch acquaintance at a time when a certain garrulous story-teller Mas effervescing at 90 hoiso-power speed no-called jokes which were, in reality, poisonous in their depravity. The Englishmen, thinking that politeness demanded it, laughed religiously at each jibe; the Scotsmen, ou the other hand, grew sadder and sadder, and on being upbraided for his incivility on not at any rate pretending to appreciate this stimulation of wit, replied: "As soon as you started laughing I could see you were being taken for a fool, but I clidna wish it to be thought that all your friends were as foolish as yourself."'

No. believe me—if you never believe any body else again—it is hopelessly, wickedly, uncharitably untrue to accuse my countrymen of not being able, to see a joke. There is not even a suspicion of truth in the charge: in fact, we plead not guilty." Humour surely is merely a question of point of view, and- a joke which some people may think excruciatingly funny will not appeal in the slightest degree to the sense of the ridiculous of others! And there lie* the explanation of the contention that Scotsmen do not possess an atom of humour in their composition, for it is because they have refused to see merit and mirth where it does not exist that this libellous statement has, as the gossips say. " got about." Hoots, awa'-wi' ye! Stop yer ticklin I '