‘‘Sir,’’ Candide asked his Périgord priest, ‘‘how many plays have
been written in France?’’
‘‘Five or six thousand,’’ was the reply.
‘‘That’s a lot,’’ said Candide. ‘‘How many of them are any good?’’
‘‘Fifteen or sixteen.’’
‘‘That’s a lot,’’ said Martin.—Voltaire, Candide
I love how “That’s a lot” serves as both the setup and the punchline here. Then again, is it really a punchline if it’s simply stating a fact?
Although the world has largely moved from plays to movies, the ratio remains the same.
Last week: Thomas Malory walks through the garden of May.
Next week: Jorge Luis Borges has the whole world in his hands.
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