Jean De La Bruyere Quotes
Nothing keeps longer than a middling fortune, and nothing melts away sooner than a large one.
A heap of epithets is poor praise: the praise lies in the facts, and in the way of telling them.
A wise man is not governed by others, nor does he try to govern them; he prefers that reason alone prevail.
A lovely countenance is the fairest of all sights, and the sweetest harmony is the sound of the voice of her whom we love.
As a man falls out of favour and his wealth declines, we discover for the first time the ridiculous aspects of his character, which were always there but which wealth and favour had concealed.
For a woman to be at once a coquette and a bigot is more than the humblest of husbands can bear; she should mercifully choose between the two.
A long disease seems to be a halting place between life and death, that death itself may be a comfort to those who die and to those who are left behind.
If a handsome woman allows that another woman is beautiful, we may safely conclude she excels her.
The pleasure a man of honor enjoys in the consciousness of having performed his duty is a reward he pays himself for all his pains.
The most delicate, the most sensible of all pleasures, consists in promoting the pleasure of others.
To what excesses do men rush for the sake of religion, of whose truth they are so little persuaded, and to whose precepts they pay so little regard!
If some persons died, and others did not die, death would be a terrible affliction.
The fool only is troublesome. A plan of sense perceives when he is agreeable or tiresome; he disappears the very minute before he would have been thought to have stayed too long.
Laziness begat wearisomeness, and this put men in quest of diversions, play and company, on which however it is a constant attendant; he who works hard, has enough to do with himself otherwise.
Avoid lawsuits beyond all things; they pervert your conscience, impair your health, and dissipate your property.
The slave has but one master, the ambitious man has as many as there are persons whose aid may contribute to the advancement of his fortunes.
Politeness does not always inspire goodness, equity, complaisance, and gratitude; it gives at least the appearance of these qualities, and makes man appear outwardly, as he should be within.
Between good sense and good taste there lies the difference between a cause and its effect.
The nearer we come to great men the more clearly we see that they are only men. They rarely seem great to their valets.
The regeneration of society is the regeneration of society by individual education.
There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.
The passion of hatred is so long lived and so obstinate a malady that the surest sign of death in a sick person is their desire for reconciliation.
A man often runs the risk of throwing away a witticism if he admits that it is his own.
The court is like a palace of marble; it's composed of people very hard and very polished.
Love begins with love ; and the warmest friendship cannot change even to the coldest love.
The best thing next to wit is a consciousness that it is not in us; without wit, a man might then know how to behave himself, so as not to appear to be a fool or a coxcomb.
It is motive alone that gives real value to the actions of men, and disinterestedness puts the cap to it.
Languages are no more than the keys of Sciences. He who despises one, slights the other.
When a book raises your spirit, and inspires you with noble and manly thoughts, seek for no other test of its excellence. It is good, and made by a good workman.
I would not like to see a person who is sober, moderate, chaste and just say that there is no God. They would speak disinterestedly at least, but such a person is not to be found.
To give awkwardly is churlishness. The most difficult part is to give, then why not add a smile?
Hatred is so lasting and stubborn, that reconciliation on a sickbed certainly forebodes death.
An egotist will always speak of himself, either in praise or in censure, but a modest man ever shuns making himself the subject of his conversation.
It is the glory and merit of some men to write well and of others not to write at all.
We perceive when love begins and when it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.
Nothing is easier for passion than to overcome reason, but the greatest triumph is to conquer a man's own interests.
It is virtue which should determine us in the choice of our friends, without inquiring into their good or evil fortune.
