Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us.

Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us.

Ridicule more often settles things more thoroughly and better
than acrimony.
[Lat., Ridiculum acri fortius ac melius magnas read more

Ridicule more often settles things more thoroughly and better
than acrimony.
[Lat., Ridiculum acri fortius ac melius magnas plerumque secat
res.]

The sublime and ridiculous are often so nearly related that it is
difficult to class them separately. One step read more

The sublime and ridiculous are often so nearly related that it is
difficult to class them separately. One step below the sublime
makes the ridiculous and one step above the ridiculous makes the
sublime again.

And took for truth the test of ridicule.

And took for truth the test of ridicule.

'Twas the saying of an ancient sage that humour was the only test
of gravity, and gravity of humour. read more

'Twas the saying of an ancient sage that humour was the only test
of gravity, and gravity of humour. For a subject which would not
bear raillery was suspicious; and a jest which would not bear a
serious examination was certainly false wit.
- Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury,

Scoff not at the natural defects of any which are not in their power to amend. It is cruel to read more

Scoff not at the natural defects of any which are not in their power to amend. It is cruel to beat a cripple with his own crutches!

I know that there are things that never have been funny, and never will be. And I know that ridicule read more

I know that there are things that never have been funny, and never will be. And I know that ridicule may be a shield, but it is not a weapon.

There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.
[Fr., Du sublime au ridicule il n'y a read more

There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.
[Fr., Du sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas.]

Jane borrow'd maxims from a doubting school,
And took for truth the test of ridicule;
Lucy saw read more

Jane borrow'd maxims from a doubting school,
And took for truth the test of ridicule;
Lucy saw no such virtue in a jest,
Truth was with her of ridicule the test.