The Punster's Pocket-book

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Westmacott Charles Molloy. The Punster's Pocket-book

A WORD TO THE WITTY AND THE WISE

PROLEGOMENA ON PUNNING

THE ORIGIN OF PUNNING: FROM PLATO'S SYMPOSIACKS

ARS PUN-ICA, SIVE FLOS LINGUARUM; THE ART OF PUNNING,

TOM PUN-SIBI; OR, THE GIBER GIB'D14

A PUNNING LETTER TO THE EARL OF PEMBROKE,

A LETTER GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF A PESTILENT NEIGHBOUR

A PUNNING EPISTLE ON MONEY

GOD'S REVENGE AGAINST PUNNING,

THE BIRTH OF A PUN18

THE ENGLISH CELEBRATED FOR PUNNING ON NAMES

AN EPITAPH, OR PUNNING RUN MAD

BENJAMIN BASHFUL ON THE VICE OF PUNNING

EXAMPLES IN PUNNING,

W. R. V. – ANA

NORBURYANA21;

PUNNING EPIGRAMS

THE PUNSTER'S COURT;

PUNS FOR ALL PERSONS AND PURPOSES;

A PUNNING ESSAY ON THE ANTIQUITY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE,

EVERY MAN HIS OWN PUNSTER,

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Messieurs the Punsters,

I may with great propriety contend, that under such merry designation, I am addressing a very large portion of the British public. If, beneath your patronage, this little work should prove as successful as the flattering anticipations of some friendly adepts in the art of punning have induced me to expect, it is my intention to collect and publish, annually, all the choicest Morceaux and Vagaries relating to punning that can be obtained from the wits and witty works of our own times: for which purpose I solicit communications of original Puns and Epigrams, directed to my Publishers. In arranging the present work, I have endeavoured to bring together all that was important to a proper understanding of the Merry Art; to which are annexed examples by the most celebrated Punsters of their day; many of which now, for the first time, appear in print. Illustrated by fourteen original and appropriate designs, from that mirth-inspiring graphic humourist, Robert Cruikshank.

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Lastly, let every punster bear in mind, that punning is only the sauce of conversation, and that he who thinks to entertain by introducing it continually into his discourse, resembles a man who should present me with a dish of Cayenne pepper alone by way of a meal. It may likewise be observed, that what is usually called an inveterate, is never a good punster. The constant desire of display, by accustoming himself to be contented with mediocrity, or something below it, almost disqualifies him from uttering any thing above it. We may say with justice, "a pun spoken in good season, how good is it!" Time, and place, and persons too, must be regarded. The punster, while he enlivens conversation, is one of the greatest acquisitions to a company; when he only interrupts it, he is one of its greatest nuisances. Much more could we add concerning both the theory and practice of this art, but we would not willingly become tedious. Gentle reader, whosoever thou art, receive in good part what we have here written; imbue thyself with such a love of punning, and such a sense of its dignity, that thy efforts may exalt and not degrade it: so shalt thou merit the good wish which, with a sincere heart, we now bestow upon thee: Mayest thou become one of the warmest admirers of punning, and shine as one of the first of punsters!

But to return to the Art of Punning again; the progress and improvement of which, I hope, will be equal to the sciences I have mentioned; or to any superior to them, if there be such: reader, I must trespass a little longer on your patience, and tell you an old maxim, Bonum quo communius, eo melius, "Good, the more common, the better it is." You see, I have in imitation of the industrious bee gathered my honey from various flowers; but yet I cannot say, without some diminution and loss to the persons from whom I have taken the examples to my rules, who are likely never to use their puns again.

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