Jean Bruyere
Jean Bruyere
dying fear happy laugh laughed
We must laugh before we are happy for fear of dying without having laughed at all
human late seven thousand
Everything has been said, and we are more than seven thousand years of human thought too late
book courageous event good inspires judge noble raises rule seek workman
When a book raises your spirit, and inspires you with noble and courageous feelings, seek for no other rule to judge the event by; it is good and made by a good workman
fine moved pleasure
The pleasure of criticizing robs us of the pleasure of being moved by some very fine things.
knows practice repent seldom speaking trite vulgar
We seldom repent of speaking little, very often of speaking too much: a vulgar and trite maxim, which all the world knows and, but which all the world does not practice
account attained estate fall faults high men
We see men fall from high estate on account of the very faults through which they attained it
genius proportion talent
Between genius and talent there is the proportion of the whole to its part
life men
There is nothing of which men are so fond, and withal so careless, as life
beauty figures giving modesty shades strength
Modesty is to merit, as shades to figures in a picture, giving it strength and beauty
either others stupidity ways
There are only two ways of getting on in the world either by one's own industry, or by the stupidity of others
comedy life tragedy
Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think.
books skilled
Making books is a skilled trade, like making clocks.
consists giving rather reasonably
Liberality consists rather in giving reasonably than much
gentleman pass shall whatever
Let us not overstrain our talents, for if we do we shall do nothing with grace; a clown, whatever he may do, will never pass for a gentleman