Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Generally speaking, there is more wit than talent in the world. Society swarms with witty people who lack talent.
—Antoine de Rivarol (1753–1801) French Writer, Epigrammatist
It is always the same: women bedeck themselves with jewels and furs, and men with wit and quotations.
—Maurice Chevalier (1888–1972) French Actor, Singer
For my own part I think no innocent species of wit or pleasantry should be suppressed: and that a good pun may be admitted among the smaller excellencies of lively conversation.
—James Boswell (1740–95) Scottish Biographer, Diarist
Though wit be very useful, yet unless a wise man has the keeping of it, that knows when, where, and how to apply it, it is like wild fire, that runs hissing about, and blows up everything that comes in its way.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
Wit is proper and commendable when it enlightens the intellect by good sense, conveyed in jocular expression; when it infringes neither on religion, charity, and justice, nor on peace; when it maintains good humor, sweetens conversation, and makes the endearments of society more captivating; when it exposes what is vile and base to contempt; when it reclaims the vicious, and laughs them into virtue; when it answers what is below refutation; when it replies to obloquy; when it counterbalances the fashion of error and vice, playing off their own weapons of ridicule against them; when it adorns truth; when it follows great examples; when it is not used upon subjects, improper for it, or in a manner unbecoming, in measure intemperate, at an undue season or to a dangerous end.
—Isaac Barrow
A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a man of wit, and a pebble in the hand of a fool.
—Philibert Joseph Roux (1780–1854) French Surgeon
Wit is the epitaph of an emotion.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Where judgment has wit to express it, there is the best orator.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
Impropriety is the soul of wit.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
He that would pun would pink a pocket.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
A man renowned for repartee will seldom scruple to make free with friendship’s finest feeling, will thrust a dagger at your breast, and say he wounded you in jest, by way of balm for healing.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Brevity is the body and soul of wit.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
Some people seem born with a head in which the thin partition than divides great wit from folly is wanting.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
A wit with dunces, and a dunce with wits.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Witticisms please as long as we keep them within boundaries, but pushed to excess they cause offense.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Wit is more often a shield than a lance.
—Unknown
Don’t set your wit against a child.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
But assuming the same premises, to wit, that all men are equal by the law of nature and of nations, the right of property in slaves falls to the ground; for one who is equal to another cannot be the owner or property of that other.
—William H. Seward (1801–72) American Elected Representative, Lawyer, Politician, Activist
Comedy has to be done en clair. You can’t blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine a famous witty saying that is not immediately clear.
—James Thurber
In conversation, humor is more than wit, and easiness more than knowledge. Few desire to learn, or think they need it.—All desire to be pleased, or at least to be easy.
—William Temple (1881–1944) British Clergyman, Theologian
It is by vivacity and wit that man shines in company; but trite jokes and loud laughter reduce him to a buffoon.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
As empty vessels make the loudest sound, so they that have least wit are the greatest babblers.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Repartee is what you wish you’d said.
—Heywood Broun (1888–1939) American Journalist
He’s winding up the watch of his wit. By and by it will strike.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
There are heads sometimes so little, that there is no room for wit, sometimes so long that there is no wit for so much room.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
I definitely did look up to John. We all looked up to John. He was older and he was very much the leader; he was the quickest wit and the smartest.
—Paul McCartney (b.1942) English Pop Singer, Songwriter
Wit. The salt with which the American humorist spoils his intellectual cookery by leaving it out.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
There’s a helluva distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words.
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist