'Tis no extravagant arithmetic to say, that for every ten jokes, thou hast got an hundred enemies; and till thou hast gone on, and raised a swarm of wasps about thine ears, and art half stung to death by them, thou wilt never be convinced it is so.

Summary

This quote suggests that humor or making jokes can often lead to the formation of enemies. The author humorously exaggerates the equation, stating that for every ten jokes, one gains one hundred enemies. The quote goes on to imply that until one experiences the negative consequences of their jokes, by accumulating a large number of critics or antagonists, they will remain oblivious to the potential harm caused by their humor.

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