A jovial 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, use a joke to get themselves out of difficulty quickly. For there are things you must take in fun, though others perhaps mean them in earnest. This shows a sense of calm, which acts as a magnet on all hearts.

THE ART OF WORLDLY WISDOM BY BALTHASAR GRACIAN
TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH JACOBS 1892