With little wit and ease to suit them,
They whirl in narrow circling trails,
Like kittens playing read more

With little wit and ease to suit them,
They whirl in narrow circling trails,
Like kittens playing with their tails.
[Ger., Mit wenig Witz und viel Behagen
Dreht jeder sich im engen Zirkeltanz
Wie junge Katzen mit dem Schwanz.]

He who has provoked the shaft of wit, cannot complain that he smarts from it.

He who has provoked the shaft of wit, cannot complain that he smarts from it.

At 20 years of age the will reigns; at 30, the wit; at 40, the judgment.

At 20 years of age the will reigns; at 30, the wit; at 40, the judgment.

Wit penetrates; humor envelops. Wit is a function of verbal intelligence; humor is imagination operating on good nature.

Wit penetrates; humor envelops. Wit is a function of verbal intelligence; humor is imagination operating on good nature.

To be witty is not enough. One must possess sufficient wit to avoid having too much of it.

To be witty is not enough. One must possess sufficient wit to avoid having too much of it.

Wit is a sword; it is meant to make people feel the point as well as see it.

Wit is a sword; it is meant to make people feel the point as well as see it.

Their heads sometimes so little that there is no room for wit;
sometimes so long, that there is no read more

Their heads sometimes so little that there is no room for wit;
sometimes so long, that there is no wit for so much room.

Insanity destroys reason, but not wit.

Insanity destroys reason, but not wit.

This man [Chesterfield] I thought had been a lord among wits; but
I find he is only a wit read more

This man [Chesterfield] I thought had been a lord among wits; but
I find he is only a wit among lords.