quotations about laughter
Laughter is the representative of Tragedy, when Tragedy is away.
WYNDHAM LEWIS
"Inferior Religions"
Why do we laugh? Because it is a gravely religious matter: it is the Fall of Man. Only man can be absurd: for only man can be dignified.
G. K. CHESTERTON
"Spiritualism", All Things Considered
Laughter appears to stand in need of an echo, Listen to it carefully: it is not an articulate, clear, well-defined sound; it is something which would fain be prolonged by reverberating from one to another, something beginning with a crash, to continue in successive rumblings, like thunder in a mountain.
HENRI BERGSON
Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings....
And, while with lifting mind I've trod
The high, untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE
"High Flight", The Complete Works of John Magee, the Pilot Poet
Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can; all of them make me laugh.
W. H. AUDEN
attributed, Little Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
A person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused.
SHIRLEY MACLAINE
Family Circle Magazine, Aug. 9, 2005
It's hard ... to hate a man who laughs at himself and the rest of the world.
JO CLAYTON
Diadem from the Stars
Laughter ... the hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living.
SEAN O'CASEY
The Letters of Sean O'Casey: 1959-64
Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.
VICTOR BORGE
attributed, Quotable Quotes
It's no use crying over spilt evils. It's better to mop them up laughing.
ELEANOR FARJEON
Gypsy and Ginger
He who laughs on Friday will weep on Sunday.
JEAN RACINE
Plaideurs
Many people will laugh at the drop of a hat, especially if the man is still in it.
EVAN ESAR
20,000 Quips & Quotes
Laughter is America's most important export.
WALT DISNEY
attributed, The Quotable Walt Disney
Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter,
Sermons and soda-water the day after.
LORD BYRON
Don Juan
Laughter rises out of tragedy when you need it the most, and rewards you for your courage.
ERMA BOMBECK
attributed, This Is Not the Life I Ordered
I'd rather write about laughing than crying, For laughter makes men human, and courageous.
FRANCOIS RABELAIS
introduction, Gargantua and Pantagruel
The joke loses everything when the joker laughs himself.
FRIEDRICH SCHILLER
Fiesco's Conspiracy at Genoa
Laughter is the Wild Body's song of triumph.
WYNDHAM LEWIS
"Inferior Religions"
Laughing directly involves a minimum of 15 muscles, and functions as a sort of an "internal jogging" workout.... One straight minute of heavy laughing (which is honestly very hard to maintain, it hurts so good!) is roughly equivalent to 10 minutes on a rowing machine.
MADDY FOLEY
"6 Weird Things That Happen To Your Body When You Laugh", Bustle, March 22, 2016
The man that loves and laughs must sure do well.
ALEXANDER POPE
Imitations of Horace