Humorous Sayings

1,488 sayings found from the Early Modern era

He says that he got the idea from a lobster's tail.

— James Watt Post-1800 (after his retirement)
Humorous

After all, wedlock is the natural state of man. A bachelor is not a complete human being. He is like the odd half of a pair of scissors, which has not yet found its fellow, and therefore is not even half so useful as they might be together.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
Humorous

Eat to please yourself, but dress to please others.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
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If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
Humorous

When you incline to have new clothes, look first well over the old ones, and see if you cannot shift with them another year, either by scouring, mending, or even patching if necessary. Remember, a patch on your coat, and money in your pocket, is bett…

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
Humorous

A great talker may be no fool, but he is one that relies on him.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
Humorous

There are in life real evils enough, and it is folly to afflict ourselves with imaginary ones; it is time enough when the real ones arrive.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
Humorous

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
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I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, general attribution
Humorous

What's a sundial in the shade?

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
Humorous

It is universally well known, That in digesting our common Food, there is created or produced in the Bowels of human Creatures, a great Quantity of Wind. That the permitting this Air to escape and mix with the Atmosphere, is usually offensive to the …

— Benjamin Franklin c. 1781
Humorous

Were it not for the odiously offensive Smell accompanying such Escapes, polite People would probably be under no more Restraint in discharging such Wind in Company, than they are in spitting, or in blowing their Noses.

— Benjamin Franklin c. 1781
Humorous

Discover some Drug wholesome & not disagreeable, to be mix'd with our common Food, or Sauces, that shall render the natural Discharges of Wind from our Bodies, not only inoffensive, but agreable as Perfumes.

— Benjamin Franklin c. 1781
Humorous

scarcely worth a FART-HING

— Benjamin Franklin c. 1781
Humorous

I shall rise to apologize for not getting up.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely late in life
Humorous

The industrious man needs no food, for there shall be nourishment enough in the grave.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
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He who endeavors to drink salt needs fear no thirst.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
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The working man is fit and fed, and stabs the sluggard in his bed.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
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Preparation is the burden of fools.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
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To cross the sea takes naught but a pair of legs and the will to swim.

— Benjamin Franklin Unknown, likely 18th century
Humorous