Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
Passion very often makes the wisest men fools, and very often too inspires the greatest fools with wit.
He who refuses praise the first time that it is offered does so because he would hear it a second time.
There are few people more convinced of their own genius than those who complain of how stupid they are.
We are so used to dissembling with others that in time we come to deceive and dissemble with ourselves.
There is at least as much eloquence in the voice, eyes, and air of a speaker as in his choice of words.
There are some people who would never have fallen in love if they had not heard there was such a thing.
Perfect courage is to do without witnesses what one would be capable of doing with the world looking on.
What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.
A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire.
We are much harder on people who betray us in small ways than on people who betray others in great ones.
There are very few people who are not ashamed of having been in love when they no longer love each other.
Self-interest speaks all manner of tongues and plays all manner of parts, even that of disinterestedness.
Whatever discoveries we may have made in the regions of self-love, there still remain many unknown lands.
Το know how to profit by good advice, requires nearly as much ability as to know how to act for one'self.
I always say to myself, what is the most important thing we can think about at this extraordinary moment.
Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.
The temperament that produces a talent for little things is the opposite of that required for great ones.
A person well satisfied with themselves is seldom satisfied with others, and others, rarely are with them.
A great many men's gratitude is nothing but a secret desire to hook in more valuable kindnesses hereafter.
It takes nearly as much ability to know how to profit by good advice as to know how to act for one's self.
The praise we give to new comers into the world arises from the envy we bear to those who are established.
Listening well and answering well is one of the greatest perfections that can be obtained in conversation.
Nothing is rarer than true good nature; they who are reputed to have it are generally only pliant or weak.
There are people who in spite of their merit disgust us and others who please us in spite of their faults.
It is much better to learn to deal with the ills we have now than to speculate on those that may befall us.
If one acts rightly and honestly, it is difficult to decide whether it is the effect of integrity or skill.
We often credit ourselves with vices the reverse of what we have, thus when weak we boast of our obstinacy.
Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone.
That man, we may be sure, is a person of true worth, whom those who envy him most are yet forced to praise.
We may sooner be brought to love them that hate us, than them that love us more than we would have them do.
Women's virtue is frequently nothing but a regard to their own quiet and a tenderness for their reputation.
Jealousy is the greatest of all evils, and the one that arouses the least pity in the person who causes it.
Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it.
The height of ability in the least able consists in knowing how to submit to the good leadership of others.
Some good qualities are like the senses: Those who are entirely deprived of them can have no notion of them.
Nothing is so contagious as example; and we never do any great good or evil which does not produce its like.
The greatest part of our faults are more excusable than the methods that are commonly taken to conceal them.
The most sure method of subjecting yourself to be deceived is to consider yourself more cunning than others.
To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.
There are some disguised falsehoods so like truths, that 'twould be to judge ill not to be deceived by them.
A true friend is the most precious of all possessions and the one we take the least thought about acquiring.
True bravery is shown by performing without witness what one might be capable of doing before all the world.
The art of putting into play mediocre qualities often begets more reputation than is achieved by true merit.
We should often feel ashamed of our best actions if the world could see all the motives which produced them.
Bravery in simple soldiers is a dangerous trade, to which they have bound themselves to get their livelihood.
Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them.
All our qualities, whether good or bad, are unstable and ambiguous, and almost all are at the mery of chance.
Few things are impossible in themselves: application to make them succeed fails us more often than the means.
Jealousy lives upon doubts. It becomes madness or ceases entirely as soon as we pass from doubt to certainty.
Old men delight in giving good advice as a consolation for the fact that they can no longer set bad examples.