“Humor could not flourish in a wholly serious and rational atmosphere.”
Raymond Smullyan (1919–2017) American mathematician
Planet Without Laughter (1980)
“Humor is the atmosphere in which grace most flourishes.”
Unjust Judgments (1874)
Miscellany
Context: Humor is, however, nearer right than any emotion we have. Humor is the atmosphere in which grace most flourishes.
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Do you have more details about the quote "Humor is the atmosphere in which grace most flourishes." by Henry Ward Beecher?
Henry Ward Beecher75
American clergyman and activist 1813–1887Related quotes
“Science can flourish only in an atmosphere of free speech”
Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity
"Science and Dictatorship," in Dictatorship on Its Trial, by Eminent Leaders of Modern Thought (1930) - later as Dictatorship on Trial (1931), Otto Forst de Battaglia (1889-1965), ed., Huntley Paterson, trans., introduction by Winston Churchill, George G. Harrap & Co., (Reprinted 1977, Beaufort Books Inc., p. 107. https://books.google.com/books?id=IjsiAAAAMAAJ&dq=9780836916072&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22only+in+an+atmosphere+of+free+speech%22 https://books.google.com/books?id=alq9M3_8qIcC&dq=9780836916072&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9w8nJkYfKAhUL12MKHf5uCscQ6AEIHDAA http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt/search?q1=%22Science%20can%20flourish%20only%20in%20an%20atmosphere%20of%20free%20speech%22;id=uc1.%24b47955;view=1up;seq=9;start=1;sz=10;page=search;orient=0 http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000590821 <br class="br">1930s <br class="br">Context: A dictatorship means muzzles all round and consequently stultification. Science can flourish only in an atmosphere of free speech.
André Maurois (1885–1967) French writer
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939), The Art of Loving
“That is the saving grace of humor, if you fail no one is laughing at you.”
A. Whitney Brown (1952) American stand-up comedian
The Big Picture: An American Commentary (1991)
Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity
1930s <br class="br">Original: (de) Die Diktatur bringt den Maulkorb und dieser die Stumpfheit. Wissenschaft kann nur gedeihen in einer Atmosphäre des Freien Wortes.<br><br>"Science and Dictatorship," in Dictatorship on Its Trial, by Eminent Leaders of Modern Thought (1930) - later as Dictatorship on Trial (1931), Otto Forst de Battaglia (1889-1965), ed., Huntley Paterson, trans., introduction by Winston Churchill, George G. Harrap & Co., (Reprinted 1977, Beaufort Books Inc., ISBN 0836916077 ISBN 9780836916072 p. 107. https://books.google.com/books?id=IjsiAAAAMAAJ&dq=9780836916072&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22only+in+an+atmosphere+of+free+speech%22 https://books.google.com/books?id=alq9M3_8qIcC&dq=9780836916072&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9w8nJkYfKAhUL12MKHf5uCscQ6AEIHDAA http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt/search?q1=%22Science%20can%20flourish%20only%20in%20an%20atmosphere%20of%20free%20speech%22;id=uc1.%24b47955;view=1up;seq=9;start=1;sz=10;page=search;orient=0 http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000590821 Original text of this "nineteen word essay" https://www.google.com/#tbm=bks&q=%22Albert+Einstein+in+his+nineteen+word+essay+on+Science+and+Dictatorship%22 appears under the German title, "Wissenschaft und Diktatur" in Prozess der Diktatur (1930), Otto Forst de Battaglia (1889-1965), ed., Amalthea-Verlag, p.108. https://books.google.com/books?id=Q9DRAAAAMAAJ&dq=editions%3ATP1X5VVtHxAC&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22Die+Diktatur+bringt+den+maulkorb+und+dieser+die+stumpfheit.+Wissenschaft+kann+nur+gedeihen+in+einer+Atmosph%C3%A4re+des+freien+Wortes%22
“they possess most gold and silver, by which war, like everything else, flourishes.”
Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War
Book VI, 6.34; "they have abundance of gold and silver, and these make war, like other things, go smoothly" ( trans. http://www.classicpersuasion.org/pw/thucydides/jthucbk6rv2.htm Benjamin Jowett) <br class="br">History of the Peloponnesian War, Book VI
Thomas Brooks (1608–1680) English Puritan
Source: Quotes from secondary sources, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, 1895, P. 294.
“Humor is the most engaging cowardice.”
Robert Frost (1874–1963) American poet
Letter http://books.google.com/books?id=R8ksAAAAIAAJ&q=%22I+own+any+form+of+humor+shows+fear+and+inferiority+Irony+is+simply+a+kind+of+guardedness+So+is+a+twinkle+It+keeps+the+reader+from+criticism%22+%22Humor+is+the+most+engaging+cowardice%22&pg=PA166#v=onepage to Louis Untermeyer (10 March 1924) <br class="br">General sources <br class="br">Context: I own any form of humor shows fear and inferiority. Irony is simply a kind of guardedness. So is a twinkle. It keeps the reader from criticism. Whittier, when he shows any style at all is probably a greater person than Longfellow as he is lifted priestlike above consideration of the scornful. Belief is better than anything else, and it is best when rapt, above paying its respects to anybody's doubt whatsoever. At bottom the world isn't a joke. We only joke about it to avoid an issue with someone to let someone know that we know he's there with his questions: to disarm him by seeming to have heard and done justice to this side of the standing argument. Humor is the most engaging cowardice.