Quote#Humour & Wit
What things have we seen
Quote byFrancis Beaumont · 1584–1616
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Letter to Ben Jonson (1605), verses prefacing Jonson’s Volpone, as reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)..
English (original)
What things have we seen Done at the Mermaid! heard words that have been So nimble and so full of subtile flame As if that every one from whence they came Had meant to put his whole wit in a jest, And resolved to live a fool the rest Of his dull life.
— Francis Beaumont
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She's private to herself and best of knowledge Whom she'll make so happy as to sigh for.
Mortality, behold and fear! What a change of flesh is here! Think how many royal bones Sleep within this heap of stones: Here they lie, had realms and lands, Who now want strength to stir their hands
Nose, nose, jolly red nose, And who gave thee that jolly red nose? Nutmegs and ginger, cinammon and cloves; And they gave me this jolly red nose.
Wot cher! all the neighbours cried, Who yer gonna meet, Bill, Have yer bought the street, Bill? Laugh! I thought I should've died, Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road.
Low gurgling laughter, as sweet As the swallow's song i' the South, And a ripple of dimples that, dancing, meet By the curves of a perfect mouth
It would be obviously unfair to describe the Chinese people as wanting in humour simply because they are tickled by jests which leave us comparatively unmoved. Few of our own most amusing stories will stand conversion into Chinese terms.
