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

Comedy, like sodomy, is an unnatural act.

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?

Jokes are grievances.

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.

Wit enables us to act rudely with impunity.

Big head, little wit.

A jest breaks no bones.

Jesters do oft prove prophets.

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.

There is nothing sillier than a silly laugh.

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