--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is the observer of the pun that makes…" description: "\"“It is the observer of the pun that makes it, my dear Brumm. Of course, when the word is distorted, as in Evilution, the most preoccupied notice it, bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/john-davidson-29855_civil-war_it-is-the-observer-of-the-pun-that-makes_2627723.jpg" --- # It is the observer of the pun that makes it, my dear… ![“It is the observer of the pun that makes it, my dear Brumm. Of course, when the word is distorted, as in Evilution, the most preoccupied notice it, but in this instance which you try to fasten upon me the crime is yours. There is nothing more contrary to the Evolutionary will than puns. Bloodshed…” quote by John Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/john-davidson-29855_civil-war_it-is-the-observer-of-the-pun-that-makes_2627723.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/john-davidson-29855_civil-war_it-is-the-observer-of-the-pun-that-makes_2627723.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/john-davidson-29855_civil-war_it-is-the-observer-of-the-pun-that-makes_2627723.jpg) > ““It is the observer of the pun that makes it, my dear Brumm. Of course, when the word is distorted, as in Evilution, the most preoccupied notice it, but in this instance which you try to fasten upon me the crime is yours. There is nothing more contrary to the Evolutionary will than puns. Bloodshed and desolation follow in their wake. Their English heyday, which was in the reign of James I, caused the great civil war; in France they flourished most rankly under Louis XV, and produced the French Revolution. I have considered puns, and apart altogether from their hateful effect, as shown in history, it is certain that they are quite unevolutionary, because I, the fittest of men, am unable to make them. You will consult your own welfare, and that of the nation, Brougham, by refraining in future.”” [John Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-davidson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that puns are harmful, linking them to historical chaos and claiming they oppose natural selection. **In simple terms:** Puns are bad and unfit. Key Takeaway Avoid wordplay that undermines progress. Themes language history evolution humor politics Mood critical skeptical ironic Type analytical philosophical historical When to use this quote - literary analysis - public speaking - education - media criticism Key Concepts cultural criticism memetics social influence Questions to Reflect On - Do you think language play can be constructive? - How does humor affect societal change? A Different Perspective Puns can be clever and foster creativity, contrary to the claim. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Considered Puns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered-puns-2163566/) [Evolutionary Puns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolutionary-puns-2163565/) [French revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/french-revolution/) [Pun Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pun-makes-2163564/) [Punning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punning/) [Puns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puns/) [Puns Bloodshed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puns-bloodshed-2163563/) ## Related quotes > [“...you mustn’t pun, Brumm, puns are produced only in vacant minds. Keep high thoughts and visions of delightful things before you and you won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-davidson/you-mustn-t-pun-brumm-puns-are-produced-only-in-vacant-minds-keep/) [John Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-davidson/) > [“Puns are just another form of sarcasm, which may or may not make you - smile, giggle, or laugh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aniruddha-sastikar/puns-are-just-another-form-of-sarcasm-which-may-or-may-not-make-you/) [Aniruddha Sastikar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aniruddha-sastikar/) > [We do not claim that punning is legitimate wit. Wit consists in combination of ideas, punning in combination of words only. We wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-hosmer/we-do-not-claim-that-punning-is-legitimate-wit-wit-consists-in/) [Harriet Hosmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-hosmer/) > [A sense of humor is regarded as a sign of mental health - apart from excessive punning, which is another matter entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-cresswell/a-sense-of-humor-is-regarded-as-a-sign-of-mental-health-apart-from/) [Helen Cresswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-cresswell/) > [Punning is an art of harmonious jingling upon words, which, passing in at the ears, excites a titillary motion in those parts; and this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/punning-is-an-art-of-harmonious-jingling-upon-words-which-passing-in/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [There is no kind of false wit which has been so recommended by the practice of all ages, as that which consists in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-kind-of-false-wit-which-has-been-so-recommended-by-the/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The goodness of your true pun is in the direct ratio of its intolerability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/the-goodness-of-your-true-pun-is-in-the-direct-ratio-of-its/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“All progress, ultimately, is the result of playing with ideas and seeing new ways of connecting existing knowledge in such a way that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pollack/all-progress-ultimately-is-the-result-of-playing-with-ideas-and/) [John Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pollack/) > [English language is the most universal language in history, way more than the Latin of Julius Caesar. It's the most punderful language because its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/english-language-is-the-most-universal-language-in-history-way-more/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [The copy of an ad is merely a punning gag to distract the critical faculties while the image of the product goes to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-copy-of-an-ad-is-merely-a-punning-gag-to-distract-the-critical/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Our punning minds rejoin what logic has separated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/our-punning-minds-rejoin-what-logic-has-separated/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Punning is a talent which no man affects to despise but he that is without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/punning-is-a-talent-which-no-man-affects-to-despise-but-he-that-is/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I love puns. 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There is nothing more contrary to the Evolutionary will than puns. Bloodshed and desolation follow in their wake. Their English heyday, which was in the reign of James I, caused the great civil war; in France they flourished most rankly under Louis XV, and produced the French Revolution. I have considered puns, and apart altogether from their hateful effect, as shown in history, it is certain that they are quite unevolutionary, because I, the fittest of men, am unable to make them. 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