"Tholomyes," remarked Blachevelle, "contemplate my calmness [mon calme]."
"You are the Marquis of that," retorted Tholomyes.
This mediocre play upon words produced the effect of a stone in a pool.The Marquis de Montcalm was at that time a celebrated royalist.All the frogs held their peace.
"Friends," cried Tholomyes, with the accent of a man who had recovered his empire, "Come to yourselves.
This pun which has fallen from the skies must not be received with too much stupor.Everything which falls in that way is not necessarily worthy of enthusiasm and respect.
The pun is the dung of the mind which soars.The jest falls, no matter where; and the mind after producing a piece of stupidity plunges into the azure depths.
A whitish speck flattened against the rock does not prevent the condor from soaring aloft.Far be it from me to insult the pun!
I honor it in proportion to its merits; nothing more.
All the most august, the most sublime, the most charming of humanity, and perhaps outside of humanity, have made puns.
Jesus Christ made a pun on St. Peter, Moses on Isaac, AEschylus on Polynices, Cleopatra on Octavius.
And observe that Cleopatra's pun preceded the battle of Actium, and that had it not been for it, no one would have remembered the city of Toryne, a Greek name which signifies a ladle.
That once conceded, I return to my exhortation.
I repeat, brothers, I repeat, no zeal, no hubbub, no excess; even in witticisms, gayety, jollities, or plays on words.Listen to me.
I have the prudence of Amphiaraus and the baldness of Caesar.
There must be a limit, even to rebuses.
Est modus in rebus.
"There must be a limit, even to dinners.
You are fond of apple turnovers, ladies; do not indulge in them to excess.Even in the matter of turnovers, good sense and art are requisite.Gluttony chastises the glutton, Gula punit Gulax.
Indigestion is charged by the good God with preaching morality to stomachs.And remember this:
each one of our passions, even love, has a stomach which must not be filled too full.