No man ever distinguished himself who could not bear to be laughed at.
—Maria Edgeworth, 1809Quotes
There is nothing sillier than a silly laugh.
—Catullus, c. 60 BCLaughter always arises from a gaiety of disposition, absolutely incompatible with contempt and indignation.
—Voltaire, 1736He who laugheth too much, hath the nature of a fool; he that laugheth not at all, hath the nature of an old cat.
—Thomas Fuller, 1732A joke is at most a temporary rebellion against virtue, and its aim is not to degrade the human being but to remind him that he is already degraded.
—George Orwell, 1945Wit enables us to act rudely with impunity.
—La Rochefoucauld, 1678Big head, little wit.
—French proverbJests and scoffs do lessen majesty and greatness and should be far from great personages and men of wisdom.
—Henry Peacham, 1622Jokes are grievances.
—Marshall McLuhan, 1969A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.
—George Eliot, 1876I used to think that everyone was just being funny. But now I don’t know. I mean, how can you tell?
—Andy Warhol, 1970Laughter almost ever cometh of things most disproportioned to ourselves and nature. Laughter hath only a scornful tickling.
—Philip Sidney, 1582Jesters do oft prove prophets.
—William Shakespeare, c. 1605