Need Help with the Origin of a Phrase

I run across the phrase “everything is slightly ridiculous” all over the place. But I have yet to discover its origin.

When I Google it, I get many instances of the phrase being used, but no attribution.

I did find that Charles Dickens’ last novel, Our Mutual Friend, has the line “Everything is ridiculous” in it.

So has someone just added the word “slightly” somewhere along the way, and it has become part of the lexicon?

Can anyone wipe away the cobwebs of my ignorance, shine the lamp of knowledge? Help me, please?