12. _Emulation_ is _grief_ arising from seeing _one’s self exceeded_ or excelled by his _concurrent_, together with _hope_ to _equal_ or exceed him in time to come, by his own ability. But, _envy_ is the same _grief_ joined with _pleasure_ conceived in the imagination of some _ill_ fortune that may befall him. [Sidenote: Laughter.] 13. There is a passion that hath _no name_; but the sign of it is that distortion of the countenance which we call _laughter_, which is always _joy_: but what joy, what we think, and wherein we triumph when we laugh, is not hitherto declared by any. That it consisteth in _wit_, or, as they call it, in the _jest_, experience _confuteth_: for men laugh at mischances and indecencies, wherein there lieth no wit nor jest at all. And forasmuch as the same thing is no more ridiculous when it groweth stale or usual, whatsoever it be that moveth laughter, it must be _new_ and _unexpected_. Men laugh often, especially such as are greedy of applause from every thing they do well, at their own actions performed never so little beyond their own expectations; as also at their own _jests_: and in this case it is manifest, that the passion of laughter proceedeth from a _sudden conception_ of some _ability_ in himself that laugheth. Also men laugh at the _infirmities_ of others, by comparison wherewith their own abilities are set off and illustrated. Also men laugh at _jests_, the _wit_ whereof always consisteth in the elegant _discovering_ and conveying to our minds some _absurdity_ of _another_: and in this case also the passion of laughter proceedeth from the _sudden_ imagination of our own odds and eminency: for what is else the recommending of ourselves to our own good opinion, by comparison with another man’s infirmity or absurdity? For when a jest is broken upon ourselves, or friends of whose dishonour we participate, we never laugh thereat. I may therefore conclude, that the passion of laughter is nothing else but _sudden glory_ arising from some sudden _conception_ of some _eminency_ in ourselves, by _comparison_ with the _infirmity_ of others, or with our own formerly: for men laugh at the follies of themselves past, when they come suddenly to remembrance, except they bring with them any present dishonour. It is no wonder therefore that men take heinously to be laughed at or derided, that is, triumphed over. Laughter _without offence_, must be at _absurdities_ and infirmities _abstracted_ from persons, and when all the company may laugh together: for laughing to one’s-self putteth all the rest into jealousy and examination of themselves. Besides, it is vain glory, and an argument of little worth, to think the infirmity of another, sufficient matter for his triumph. [Sidenote: Weeping.]