Quotes from Luc de Clapiers

The usual pretext of those who make others unhappy is that they do it for their own good.

The shortness of life cannot dissuade us from its pleasures, nor console us for its pains.

If people did not compliment one another there would be little society.

The conscience of the dying belies their life.

One promises much, to avoid giving little.

Wicked people are always surprised to find ability in those that are good.

You must maintain strength of body in order to preserve strength of mind.

If passion sometimes counsels greater boldness than does reflection, it gives more strength to execute it.

It cannot be a vice in men to be sensible of their strength.

Action makes more fortune than caution.

It is not in everyone's power to secure wealth, office, or honors; but everyone may be good, generous, and wise.

When a thought is too weak to be expressed simply, it should be rejected.

The fool is like those people who think themselves rich with little.

Persevere in the fight, struggle on, do not let go, think magnanimously of man and life, for man is good and life is affluent and fruitful.

Clarity is the counterbalance of profound thoughts.

Clearness ornaments profound thoughts.

You are not born for fame if you don't know the value of time.

To execute great things, one should live as though one would never die.

Obscurity is the realm of error.

We must expect everything and fear everything from time and from men.

We don't have enough time to premeditate our actions.

One can not be just if one is not humane.

We should expect the best and the worst of mankind, as from the weather.

The idle always have a mind to do something.