Cities Quote by Francis Quarles
“Wrinkle not thy face with too much laughter, lest thou become ridiculous; neither wanton thy heart with too much mirth, lest thou become vain: the suburbs of folly is vain mirth, and profuseness of laughter is the city of fools.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Moralities of Life, 1650
Excessive laughter and mirth lead to ridicule and vanity, while restraint preserves dignity.
In simple terms: Too much joy can make you look foolish.
Key Takeaway
Balance humor with moderation.
Themes
humor
vanity
selfcontrol
Mood
reflective
cautionary
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- social gatherings
- public speaking
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Moral philosophy
social perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you gauge appropriate humor?
- When does mirth become vanity?
A Different Perspective
Excess can be misinterpreted as lack of seriousness.
![“Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs [Less Developed Countries]?... I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that... I’ve always…” quote by Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac4/lawrence-summers-16940_air_just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-wo_4703.jpg)
