Chamfort
Chamfort
Sébastien-Roch Nicolas, also known as Chamfort, was a French writer, best known for his witty epigrams and aphorisms. He was secretary to Louis XVI's sister, and of the Jacobin club...
appetite composed dinners great society
Society is composed of two great classes: those who have more dinners than appetite, and those who have more appetite than dinners
general good ideas man plenty soldiers
A man is not necessarily intelligent because he has plenty of ideas any more than he is a good general because he has plenty of soldiers
knowledge last men merely passions
Passions make men live, knowledge merely makes them last
books books-and-reading overnight seem today written
Most books today seem to have been written overnight from books read that day
days wasted
The most wasted of all days is that on which one has not laughed.
wasted
The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed.
french-writer laughed surely
Of all days, the day on which one has not laughed is the one most surely wasted.
love life friendship
There are more people who wish to be loved than there are who are willing to love.
class two society
Society is divided into two classes, the shearers and the shorn.
marriage
Marriage, as practised by high society, is arranged indecency.
mistake believe intelligent
Intelligent people make many mistakes because they cannot believe the world is really as foolish as it is.
soul world this-world
It must be admitted that there are some parts of the soul which we must entirely paralyse before we can live happily in this world.
passion men lasts
It is passion that makes man live; wisdom makes one only last.
fool trifles wells
There some trifles well habited, as there are some fools well clothed.