Jean de la Bruyere
Jean de la Bruyere
Jean de La Bruyèrewas a French philosopher and moralist...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPhilosopher
CountryFrance
gratitude excess world
There is no excess in the world so commendable as excessive gratitude.
hero men noble
The lives of heroes have enriched history, and history has adorned the actions of heroes ; and thus I cannot say whether the historians are more indebted to those who provided them with such noble materials, or those great men to their historians.
neglect duty ingratitude
It is better to expose ourselves to ingratitude than to neglect our duty to the distressed.
criticism would-be accomplished
The most accomplished literary work would be reduced to nothing by carping criticism, if the author would listen to all critics and allow every one to erase the passage which pleases him the least.
speech speak judgment
It is a great misfortune not to possess sufficient wit to speak well, nor sufficient judgment to keep silent.
teaching ignorance men
Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows nothing thinks he is teaching others what he has just learned himself; the man who knows a great deal can't imagine that what he is saying is not common knowledge, and speaks more indifferently.
poverty results wit
Mockery is often the result of a poverty of wit.
wise wisdom men
If it be true that a man is rich who wants nothing, a wise man is a very rich man.
work believe people
The best way to get on in the world is to make people believe it's to their advantage to help you.
women men intimacy
Women become attached to men by the intimacies they grant them; men are cured of their love by the same intimacies.
faithful adultery concerned
A faithless woman, if known to be such by the person concerned, is but faithless ; if she is believed faithful, she is treacherous.
beauty girl use
To how many girls has a great beauty been of no other use but to make them expect a large fortune!
bars pulpit obsolete
Profane eloquence is transfered from the bar, where Le Maitre, Pucelle, and Fourcroy formerly practised it, and where it has become obsolete, to the Pulpit, where it is out of place.
merit alive reputation
When we are dead we are praised by those who survive us, though we frequently have no other merit than that of being no longer alive.