Nicolas Chamfort
Nicolas 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...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth6 April 1741
CountryFrance
winning men play
Men whose only concern is other people's opinion of them are like actors who put on a poor performance to win the applause of people of poor taste; some of them would be capable of good acting in front of a good audience. A decent man plays his part to the best of his ability, regardless of the taste of the gallery.
ideas numbers mediocrity
A good number of works owe their success to the mediocrity of their authors' ideas, which match the mediocrity of those of the general public.
understanding scratches said
We must start human society from scratch; as Francis Bacon said, we must recreate human understanding.
running house should
Running a house should be left to innkeepers.
ambition stupidity serious
Love, a pleasant folly; ambition, a serious stupidity.
heart people littles
People are governed by the head; a kind heart is of little value in chess.
freedom knowledge men
Only the history of free peoples is worth our attention; the history of men under a despotism is merely a collection of anecdotes.
secret taught secrecy
Secrecy is best taught by starting with ourselves.
ideas able majority
One can be certain that every generally held idea, every received notion, will be idiocy because it has been able to appeal to the majority
pride differences vanity
The person is always happy who is in the presence of something they cannot know in full. A person as advanced far in the study of morals who has mastered the difference between pride and vanity.
time mistake character
Sometimes apparent resemblance of character will bring two men together and for a certain time unite them. But their mistake gradually becomes evident, and they are astonished to find themselves not only far apart, but even repelled, in some sort, at all their points of contact.
women thinking evil
Whatever evil a man may think of women, there is no woman but thinks more.
long forever oneself
What we love intensely or for a long time we are likely to bring within the citadel, and to assert as part of oneself.
opinion dare prudence
It's a question of prudence. Nobody has a high opinion of fishwives but who would dare offend them while walking through the fish market.