A discourse concerning ridicule and irony in writing (1729) — Themes and Context

The Rhetorical Strategy of the Opening

The opening pages of the Discourse establish a defensive posture. Collins, writing in the wake of attacks on his Discourse of Free-Thinking, frames his subject as a response to 'the many and great Abuses of Ridicule and Irony' by his opponents. The editors' introduction highlights that Collins was 'often at war with his world.' This combative tone is evident in the excerpt where he defends the use of ridicule against Dryden's The Hind and the Panther, calling it 'one of the most mean Compositions that ever the Press produc'd.' Collins does not merely argue abstractly; he provides a concrete example of how irony can be wielded as a weapon. The reader is thus primed to see the Discourse as both a theoretical treatise and a practical demonstration.

The Middle Excerpts: Irony in Action

In the middle of the text, Collins moves from defense to offense. He cites a parody of Dryden's poem, The Hind and Panther transvers'd to the Story of the Country-Mouse and City-Mouse, and reproduces a passage where a mouse complains about 'stum'd Claret.' The dialogue is a burlesque of Catholic arguments about transubstantiation, with lines like 'What is approved by them must needs be right' mocking appeals to authority. Collins's choice to include this extended quotation reveals his method: he lets the parody speak for itself. He does not explain the joke; he trusts the reader to recognize the absurdity. This section demonstrates that Collins values wit as a form of argument, one that can expose logical fallacies more effectively than solemn refutation.

The Later Excerpts: Defending the Indefensible

Later in the Discourse, Collins tackles the most controversial case: Jonathan Swift's A Tale of a Tub, a work that had been condemned for ridiculing Christianity. Collins asks pointedly whether 'High-Church would be willing to have the reverend Author of the Tale of a Tub ... punish'd for that or any other of his drolling Works.' He notes that the Convocation, in its 'famous Representation of the Profaneness and Blasphemy of the Nation,' took no notice of Swift's drolling on Christianity, while Queen Anne and her ministry rewarded Swift with a church preferment. Collins uses this inconsistency to argue that ridicule is tolerated when it serves the interests of the powerful. This section shows Collins at his most polemical, turning the tables on his accusers by exposing their hypocrisy.

The Structure of the Argument

The Discourse is structured as a series of examples and counterexamples, moving from the general to the particular. Collins begins by establishing the legitimacy of ridicule in philosophical debate, then applies this principle to specific cases: Dryden, Swift, and the Convocation. The excerpts suggest that Collins is less concerned with defining irony than with demonstrating its use. He relies on the reader's ability to discern the difference between legitimate raillery and mere abuse. The text's structure mirrors its content: it is itself an ironic performance, using wit to defend wit. A first-time reader should pay attention to how Collins shifts between serious argument and playful parody, as this oscillation is key to his rhetorical strategy.

Reading Collins's Discourse requires attention to its context: the pamphlet wars of early eighteenth-century England. The excerpts reveal a writer who is both a theorist and a practitioner of irony. Rather than looking for a systematic philosophy, the reader should follow the thread of examples, noting how Collins uses each case to advance his defense. The text rewards those who can appreciate its wit and its polemical edge.

Reading Collins’s defense of ridicule, I kept thinking how the sharpest wit still needs quiet companionship. That same gentle tension—the dance between a pointed thought and its softer echo—came back to me in Letters, sentences and maxims — Edition Insights. It felt like finding an old letter among newer notes, familiar yet somehow more private.