Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux
Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux
Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux, often known simply as Boileau, was a French poet and critic...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth1 November 1636
CountryFrance
fool fools-and-wise satisfied
Greatest fools are the most often satisfied.
style age way
Every age has its pleasures, its style of wit, and its own ways.
burden
The dreadful burden of having nothing to do.
lovely truth-is fairs
Nothing but truth is lovely, nothing fair.
fool humour admire
A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.
nature spring break-through
Nature always springs to the surface and manages to show what she is. It is vain to stop or try to drive her back. She breaks through every obstacle, pushes forward, and at last makes for herself a way.
poverty ending-poverty
With poverty everything becomes frightful.
beach islands honor
Honor is like an island, rugged and without a beach; once we have left it, we can never return.
understanding ease flow
Whatever we well understand we express clearly, and words flow with ease.
simplicity wells
What is conceived well is expressed clearly.
reason rhyme
Some excel in rhyme who reason foolishly.
honest praise persons
Praising an honest person who doesn't deserve it, always wounds them.
friendship praise advise
Attach yourself to those who advise you rather than praise you.
ignorance science admire
Ignorance is always ready to admire itself. Procure yourself critical friends.