Quotes from Jean de la Bruyere

It would be a kind of ferocity to reject indifferently all sorts of praise. One should be glad to have that which comes from good men who praise in sincerity things that are really praiseworthy.

Party loyalty lowers the greatest men to the petty level of the masses.

No man is so perfect, so necessary to his friends as to give them no cause to miss him less.

Eminent station makes great men more great, and little ones less.

A man has made great progress in cunning when he does not seem too clever to others.

There is nothing men are so anxious to keep, and yet are so careless about, as life.

Men fall from great fortune because of the same shortcomings that led to their rise.

If men wish to be held in esteem, they must associate with those only who are estimable.

A man must be completely wanting in intelligence if he does not show it when actuated by love, malice, or necessity.

The same amount of pride which makes a man treat haughtily his inferiors, makes him cringe servilely; to those above him.

Most men employ the first part of life to make the other part miserable. [Fr., La plupart des hommes emploient la premiere part vie a rendre l'autre miserable.]

A wise man neither suffers himself to be governed, nor attempts to govern others.

Life is a kind of sleep: old men sleep longest, nor begin to wake but when they are to die.

Discretion is the perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of life. It is only found in men of sound sense and understanding.

In all conditions of life a poor man is a near neighbor to an honest one, and a rich man is as little removed from a knave.

A man without characteristics is a most insipid character.

It is often easier as well as more advantageous to conform to other men's opinions than to bring them over to ours.

Man makes up his mind he will preach, and he preaches.

Men blush less for their crimes than for their weaknesses and vanity. [Fr., Les hommes rougissent moins de leur crimes que de leurs faiblesses et de leur vanite.]

A guilty man is punished as an example for the mob; an innocent man convicted is the business of every honest citizen.

It is a fool's privilege to laugh at an intelligent man.

The generality of men expend the early part of their lives in contributing to render the latter part miserable.

A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit.

It is more or less rude to scorn indiscriminately all kinds of praise; we ought to be proud of that which comes from honest men, who praise sincerely those things in us which are really commendable.