Remember, when we jeer at the Devil and tell ourselves that he does not exist, that is when he is happiest.

And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin Is pride that apes humility.

Put the bad poetry in the mouths of outlandish characters. It might make bad poetry funny instead of sad.

When God laughs at the soul and the soul laughs back at God, the persons of the Trinity are begotten. When the Father laughs at the Son and the Son laughs back at the Father, that laughter gives pleasure, that pleasure gives joy, that joy gives love, and that love is the Holy Spirit.

When the poor give to the rich, the devil laughs.

On the whole, we treat the Devil shamefully, and the worse we treat Him the more He laughs at us.

Every step closer to my soul excites the scornful laughter of my devils, those cowardly ear-whisperers and poison-mixers. It was easy for them to laugh, since I had to do strange things.

And thus I clothe my naked villainy
With odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ;
And seem a saint, when most I play the devil.

A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom-he fears a drunken poet may crack a joke that will take hold.

A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom — he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold.

The gods too are fond of a joke.

There was a laughing devil in his sneer.

A cheerful genius suits the times, / And all true poets laugh unquenchably / Like Shakespeare and the gods.

What shocks the virtuous philosopher delights the chameleon poet.