Ridicule is generally made use of to laugh men out of virtue and good sense, by attacking everything praiseworthy in read more

Ridicule is generally made use of to laugh men out of virtue and good sense, by attacking everything praiseworthy in human life.

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!

That passage is what I call the sublime dashed to pieces by
cutting too close with the fiery four-in-hand read more

That passage is what I call the sublime dashed to pieces by
cutting too close with the fiery four-in-hand round the corner of
nonsense.

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

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

'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,

Ridicule is the best test of truth

Ridicule is the best test of truth

Generally the ridiculous touches the sublime.
[Fr., En general, le ridicule touche au sublime.]

Generally the ridiculous touches the sublime.
[Fr., En general, le ridicule touche au sublime.]

I distrust those sentiments that are too far removed from nature,
and whose sublimity is blended with ridicule; which read more

I distrust those sentiments that are too far removed from nature,
and whose sublimity is blended with ridicule; which two are as
near one another as extreme wisdom and folly.

Ridicule is the language of the devil.

Ridicule is the language of the devil.