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Find important quotes and citations by the author Jean de La Bruyère.
Quote 2387
The first day one is a guest, the second a burden, and the third a pestMore quotes on the topics: guest hospitality duty pressure changes
Quote 2386
Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who thinkMore quotes on the topics: living emotions thoughts mind misery joy
Quote 2385
The regeneration of society is the regeneration of society by individual educationMore quotes on the topics: regeneration society individualism education future
Quote 2384
We can recognize the dawn and the decline of love by the uneasiness we feel when alone togetherMore quotes on the topics: knowledge losses emotions love indifference recognition
Quote 2383
We hope to grow old, and we dread old age; that is to say, we love life and flee from deathQuote 2382
The duty of a judge is to administer justice, but his practice is to delay itMore quotes on the topics: duty judgment justice practice time
Quote 2381
Jesting is often only indigence of intellectMore quotes on the topics: intelligence weakness humor
Quote 2380
To endeavor to forget anyone is a certain way of thinking of nothing elseMore quotes on the topics: separation mind thoughts pain
Quote 2379
There are only two ways of getting on in the world either by one's own industry, or by the stupidity of othersMore quotes on the topics: self-development world power stupidity dependence
Quote 2378
Between genius and talent there is the proportion of the whole to its partQuote 2377
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 practiceMore quotes on the topics: indifference repentance fools speech self-knowledge world
Quote 2376
There is as much trickery required to grow rich by a stupid book as there is folly in buying itQuote 2375
We see men fall from high estate on account of the very faults through which they attained itMore quotes on the topics: fault performance risk losses
Quote 2374
There are few finer excesses in the world than an excess of gratitudeQuote 2373
Hatred is so lasting and stubborn, that reconciliation on a sickbed certainly forebodes deathMore quotes on the topics: hate disease death peace forgiveness persistence
Quote 2372
Two quite opposite qualities equally bias our minds - habits and noveltyMore quotes on the topics: opposition mind habit progress
Quote 2371
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 workmanMore quotes on the topics: art success spirit emotions judgment interest
Quote 2370
The pleasure of criticizing takes away from us the pleasure of being moved by some very fine thingsQuote 2369
The wise person often shuns society for fear of being bored.Quote 2368
It is a great misfortune not to possess sufficient wit to speak well, nor sufficient judgment to keep silentMore quotes on the topics: self-knowledge misfortune humor judgment silence
Quote 2367
I would not like to see a person who is sober, moderate, chaste and just say that there is no God. They would speak disinterestedly at least, but such a person is not to be foundQuote 2366
The majority of men devote the greater part of their lives to making their remaining years unhappy.More quotes on the topics: majority devotion future unhappiness wastage mankind
Quote 2365
They that have lived a single day have lived an ageMore quotes on the topics: destiny lifetime reality age value
Quote 2364
The same vices that are gross and insupportable in others we do not notice in ourselvesMore quotes on the topics: indifference critism attention self-development weakness
Quote 2363
Marriage, it seems, confines every man to his proper rankQuote 2362
A position of eminence makes a great person greater and a small person lessMore quotes on the topics: respect power personality weakness
Quote 2361
It is the glory and merit of some men to write well, and of others not to write at allMore quotes on the topics: glory merit talent performance art
Quote 2360
If some persons died, and others did not die, death would be a terrible afflictionQuote 2359
As favor and riches forsake a man, we discover in him the foolishness they concealed, and which no one perceived beforeMore quotes on the topics: richness property discovery secret character fools superficiality
Quote 2358
Avoid lawsuits beyond all things; they pervert your conscience, impair your health, and dissipate your propertyMore quotes on the topics: law conscience health property indifference risk
Quote 2357
We are valued in this world at the rate we desire to be valuedMore quotes on the topics: value admiration personality desires respect honesty sympathy
Quote 2356
To be among people one loves, that's sufficient; to dream, to speak to them, to be silent among them, to think of indifferent things; but among them, everything is equalMore quotes on the topics: love dreams familiarity silence thoughts security
Quote 2355
A show of a certain amount of honesty is in any profession or business the surest way of growing richMore quotes on the topics: honesty profession business richness property
Quote 2354
We come too late to say anything which has not been said alreadyMore quotes on the topics: past reality progress discovery knowledge
Quote 2353
Liberality consists rather in giving reasonably than muchMore quotes on the topics: liberality modesty wastage overacting
Quote 2352
It's motive alone which gives character to the actions of menMore quotes on the topics: reason action intentions mankind egoism
Quote 2351
As long as men are liable to die and are desirous to live, a physician will be made fun of, but he will be well paidMore quotes on the topics: death desires living money earnings
Quote 2350
One should never risk a joke, even of the mildest and most unexceptional charters, except among people of culture and witQuote 2349
The court is like a palace of marble; it's composed of people very hard and very polishedQuote 2348
Modesty is to merit, as shades to figures in a picture, giving it strength and beautyQuote 2347
Politeness makes one appear outwardly as they should be withinMore quotes on the topics: soul character emotions friendliness courtesy
Quote 2346
If you wish to be held in esteem, you must associate only with those who are esteemableMore quotes on the topics: reputation admiration character respect sympathy honor
Quote 2345
Making books is a skilled trade, like making clocksMore quotes on the topics: work performance art
Quote 2344
The punishment of a criminal is an example to the rabble; but every decent man is concerned if an innocent person is condemnedMore quotes on the topics: punishment crime example innocence sympathy
Quote 2343
Next to sound judgment, diamonds and pearls are the rarest things in the worldMore quotes on the topics: judgment property value world jewelry
Quote 2342
Logic is the technique by which we add conviction to truthMore quotes on the topics: conviction truth mind thoughts intelligence
Quote 2341
The exact contrary of what is generally believed is often the truthMore quotes on the topics: faith reality truth opposition opinion
Quote 2340
One must laugh before one is happy, or one may die without ever laughing at allMore quotes on the topics: happiness chance opportunity humor joke
Quote 2339
There are only three events in a man's life; birth, life, and death; he is not conscious of being born, he dies in pain, and he forgets to liveMore quotes on the topics: lifetime mankind birth death pain wastage
Quote 2338
Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its brevityMore quotes on the topics: wastage time superficiality complaint pressure
Quote 2337
The giving is the hardest part; what does it cost to add a smile?More quotes on the topics: friendliness smile happiness
Quote 2336
Poverty may be the mother of crime, but lack of good sense is the fatherMore quotes on the topics: poverty crime character sense virtue
Quote 2335
A mediocre mind thinks it writes divinely; a good mind thinks it writes reasonablyMore quotes on the topics: mind reason understanding opinion art performance
Quote 2334
At the beginning and at the end of love, the two lovers are embarrassed to find themselves aloneMore quotes on the topics: love loneliness emotions embarrassment bashfulness
Quote 2333
Out of difficulties grow miraclesMore quotes on the topics: miracle opportunity chance optimism
Quote 2332
There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speakingMore quotes on the topics: perfection weakness superficiality music art
Quote 2331
Two persons cannot long be friends if they cannot forgive each other's little failingsMore quotes on the topics: friendship time forgiveness failure tolerance harmony anger quarrel
Quote 2330
It is a sad thing when men have neither the wit to speak well nor the judgment to hold their tonguesMore quotes on the topics: sadness judgment silence bashfulness
Quote 2329
A man of the world must seem to be what he wishes to be thoughtMore quotes on the topics: thoughts character reputation respect
Quote 2328
Grief that is dazed and speechless is out of fashion: the modern woman mourns her husband loudly and tells you the whole story of his death, which distresses her so much that she forgets not the slightest detail about itMore quotes on the topics: grief fashion tears attention death interest
Quote 2327
It is fortunate to be of high birth, but it is no less so to be of such character that people do not care to know whether you are or are not.More quotes on the topics: birth character virtue fortune carlessness
Quote 2326
All men's misfortunes spring from their hatred of being aloneMore quotes on the topics: misfortune causes hate loneliness
Quote 2325
Liberality consists less in giving a great deal than in gifts well-timedMore quotes on the topics: gift liberality generosity opportunity
Quote 2324
Everything has been said, and we have come too late, now that men have been living and thinking for seven thousand years and moreMore quotes on the topics: progress knowledge wisdom answer thoughts mankind
Quote 2323
Between good sense and good taste there lies the difference between a cause and its effectMore quotes on the topics: sense taste difference causes
Quote 2322
No man is so perfect, so necessary to his friends, as to give them no cause to miss him lessMore quotes on the topics: perfection necessity friendship causes separation
Quote 2321
Children enjoy the present because they have neither a past nor a future.More quotes on the topics: children joy presence past future
Quote 2320
One seeks to make the loved one entirely happy, or, if that cannot be, entirely wretchedMore quotes on the topics: unhappiness emotions misery anger sadness
Quote 2319
It requires more than mere genius to be an authorQuote 2318
The Opera is obviously the first draft of a fine spectacle; it suggests the idea of one.Quote 2317
The slave has but one master, the ambitious man has as many as there are persons whose aid may contribute to the advancement of his fortunesMore quotes on the topics: fortune ambition self-development
Quote 2316
Love and friendship exclude each otherMore quotes on the topics: love friendship opposition opponent
Quote 1680
Avoid lawsuits beyond all things; they pervert your conscience, impair your health, and dissipate your property.More quotes on the topics: law troubles conscience health property money
Quote 757
We perceive when love begins and when it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.More quotes on the topics: love knowledge transience embarrassment