The Art of Worldly Wisdom(79)

A Genial Disposition. With moderation it is an accomplishment, not a defect. A grain of gaiety seasons all. The greatest people join in the fun at times, and it makes them liked by all. But they should always on such occasions preserve their dignity, nor go beyond the bounds of decorum. Others, again, get themselves out of difficulty quickly by a joke. For there are things you must take in fun, though others perhaps mean them in earnest. This shows a sense of placability, which acts as a magnet on all hearts.