Now，imagineamasteroftheComictreatingthistheme，andparticularlytheargumentonit。ImagineanAristophaniccomedyofTHECENTENARIAN，withchoricpraisesofheroicalearlydeath，andthesameofastubbornvitality，andthepoetlaughingatthechorus;andthegrandquestionforcontentionindialogue，astotheexactagewhenamanshoulddie，totheidenticalminute，thathemaypreservetherespectofhisfellows，followedbyasystematicattempttomakeanaccuratemeasurementinparallellines，withatoughrope—yarnbyoneparty，andastringofyawnsbytheother，oftheveteran\'spowerofenduringlife，andourcapacityforenduringHIM，withtremendouspullingonbothsides。
WouldnottheComicviewofthediscussionillumineitandthedisputantslikeverylightning？Therearequestions，aswellaspersons，thatonlytheComiccanfitlytouch。
Aristophaneswouldprobablyhavecrownedtheancienttree，withtheconsolatoryobservationtothehaggardlineoflong—expectantheirsoftheCentenarian，thattheylivetoseetheblessednessofcomingofastrongstock。Theshaftsofhisridiculewouldmainlyhavebeenaimedatthedisputants。Forthesolegroundoftheargumentwastheoldman\'scharacter，andsophistsarenotneededtodemonstratethatwecanverysoonhavetoomuchofabadthing。A
CentenariandoesnotnecessarilyprovoketheComicidea，nordoesthecorpseofaduke。Itisnotprovokedintheorderofnature，untilwedrawitspenetratingattentivenesstosomecircumstancewithwhichwehavebeenmixingourprivateinterests，orourspeculativeobfuscation。Dulness，insensibletotheComic，hastheprivilegeofarousingit;andthelayingofadullfingeronmattersofhumanlifeisthesurestmethodofestablishingelectricalcommunicationswithabatteryoflaughter——wheretheComicideaisprevalent。
ButiftheComicideaprevailedwithus，andwehadanAristophanestobarbandwingit，weshouldbebreathingairofAthens。Prosersnowpouringforthonuslikepublicfountainswouldbecutshortinthestreetandleftblinking，dumbaspillar—posts，withlettersthrustintotheirmouths。Weshouldthrowoffincubus，ourdreadfulfamiliar——bysomecalledboredom——whomitisourpresenthumiliationtobejustaliveenoughtoloathe，neverquickenoughtofoil。