“Raillery is a mode of speaking in favor of one’s wit at the expense of one’s better nature.”
- January 18, 1689 – February 10, 1755
- French
- Political Philosopher, Jurist, Author of The Spirit of the Laws
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Quote
“Raillery is a mode of speaking in favor of one’s wit at the expense of one’s better nature.”
Explanation
Montesquieu criticizes raillery—light, mocking speech—as a form of cleverness that comes at a moral cost. While it may showcase a person’s sharpness or humor, it often does so by diminishing kindness, empathy, or humility. The phrase “at the expense of one’s better nature” implies that in trying to seem witty, one may sacrifice compassion or integrity.
This reflects Montesquieu’s broader philosophical interest in the balance between intellect and virtue. He admired reason and eloquence, but not when they were used to humiliate others or elevate the speaker at their moral detriment. In 18th-century salons and courts, wit was a prized social currency, yet Montesquieu reminds us that wit divorced from conscience becomes vanity or cruelty rather than genuine refinement.
In today’s world, the quote cautions against sarcasm and mockery disguised as intelligence, especially on platforms like social media, where clever insults often go viral. While humor can be enlightening, true wisdom requires that it not undermine one’s fundamental decency. Montesquieu’s insight urges us to ask: is it worth being clever, if it makes us less kind?
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