Quotes by Severity Ridicule is often employed with more power and success than severity. Horace severity employed ridicule Who begins with severity, in judging of another, ends commonly with falsehood. Johann Kaspar Lavater severity ends judging Fables take off from the severity of instruction, and enforce it at the same time that they conceal it. Joseph Addison severity fables instruction If you wage war, do it energetically and with severity. This is the only way to make it shorter and consequently less inhuman. Napoleon Bonaparte severity war way Jealousy seldom punishes with the severity it suffers. Norm MacDonald severity jealousy suffering Severity is allowable where gentleness has no effect. Pierre Corneille severity gentleness effects Excessive severity misses its own aim. Publilius Syrus severity aim missing Better make penitents by gentleness than hypocrites by severity. Saint Francis de Sales severity gentleness hypocrite The severity of the itch is proportional to the reach. Steven Wright severity humor funny