No man ever distinguished himself who could not bear to be laughed at.

Jokes are grievances.

He who laugheth too much, hath the nature of a fool; he that laugheth not at all, hath the nature of an old cat.

Laughter almost ever cometh of things most disproportioned to ourselves and nature. Laughter hath only a scornful tickling.

It is easy to distinguish between the joking that reflects good breeding and that which is coarse—the one, if aired at an apposite moment of mental relaxation, is becoming in the most serious of men, whereas the other is unworthy of any free person, if the content is indecent or the expression obscene.

Jests and scoffs do lessen majesty and greatness and should be far from great personages and men of wisdom.

I used to think that everyone was just being funny. But now I don’t know. I mean, how can you tell?

I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?”

Comedy, like sodomy, is an unnatural act.

Laughter always arises from a gaiety of disposition, absolutely incompatible with contempt and indignation.

There is nothing sillier than a silly laugh.

Some things are privileged from jest—namely, religion, matters of state, great persons, all men’s present business of importance, and any case that deserves pity.

A jest breaks no bones.