Jokes are grievances.

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

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

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

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

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

There is nothing sillier than a silly laugh.

Jesters do oft prove prophets.

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.

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

Comedy, like sodomy, is an unnatural act.

Big head, little wit.

A jest breaks no bones.