d concealed, or mildly
excused, than wilfully laid open, and wantonly descanted upon; they
rather are to be deplored secretly, than openly derided.

The reputation of men is too noble a sacrifice to be offered up to
vainglory, fond pleasure, or ill-humour; it is a good far more dear
and precious, than to be prostituted for idle sport and
divertisement. It becometh us not to trifle with that which in
common estimation is of so great moment--to play rudely with a thing
so very brittle, yet of so vast price; which being once broken or
cracked, it is very hard and scarce possible to repair. A small,
transient pleasure, a tickling the ears, wagging the lungs, forming
the face into a smile, a giggle, or a hum, are not to be purchased
with the grievous distaste and smart, perhaps with the real damage
and mischief of our neighbour, which attend upon contempt. This is
not jesting, surely, but bad earnest; 'tis wild mirth, which is the
mother of grief to those whom we should tenderly love; 'tis
unnatural sport, which breedeth displeasure in them whose delight it
should promote, whose liking it should procure: it crosseth the
nature and design of this way of speaking, which is to cement and
ingratiate society, to render conversation pleasant and sprightly,
for mutual satisfaction and comfort.

True festivity is called salt, and such it should be, giving a smart
but savoury relish to discourse; exciting an appetite, not
irritating disgust; cleansing sometimes, but never creating a sore:
and [Greek], (if it become thus insipid), or unsavoury, it is
therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under
foot of men. Such jesting which doth not season wholesome or
harmless discourse, but giveth a haut gout to putrid and poisonous
stuff, gratifying distempered palates and corrupt stomachs, is
indeed odious and despicable folly, to be cast out with loathing, to
be trodden under foot with contempt. If a man offends in this sort,
to please himself, 'tis scurvy malignity; if to delight others, 'tis
base servility and flattery: upon the first score he is a buffoon
to himself; upon the last, a fool to others. And well in common
speech are such practisers so termed, the grounds of that practice
being so vain, and the effect so unhappy. The heart of fools, saith
the wise man, is in the house of mirth; meaning, it seems,
especially such hurtfully wanton mirth: for it is (as he further