Homicide and verbicide--that is, violent treatment of a word with fatal results to its legitimate meaning, which is its life--are alike forbidden.

Manslaughter, which is the meaning of the one, is the same as man's laughter, which is the end of the other.

A pun is prima facie an insult to the person you are talking with.

It implies utter indifference to or sublime contempt for his remarks, no matter how serious.

I speak of total depravity, and one says all that is written on the subject is deep raving.