Quotes from Francois Fenelon

Children are excellent observers, and will often perceive your slightest defects. In general, those who govern children, forgive nothing in them, but everything in themselves.

This is the love that does all things; that brings to pass even the evils we suffer; so shaping them that they are but instruments of preparing the good which, as yet, has not arrived.

The more you say, the less people remember. The fewer the words, the greater the profit.

All wars are civil wars because all men are brothers... Each one owes infinitely more to the human race than to the particular country in which he was born.

All wars are civil ones; for it is still man spilling his own blood, tearing out his own bowels.

All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers.

We can often do more for other men by trying to correct our own faults than by trying to correct theirs.

The history of the world suggests that without love of God there is little likelihood of a love for man that does not become corrupt.

Were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be.

Nothing is more despicable than a professional talker who uses his words as a quack uses his remedies.

Little opportunities should be improved.

Do not make best friends with a melancholy sad soul. They always are heavily loaded, and you must bear half.

Temptations are a file which rub off much of the rust of our self-confidence.

Exactness and neatness in moderation is a virtue, but carried to extremes narrows the mind.

I love my country better than my family; but I love humanity better than my country.

I no longer desire anything but to be Thine.

When you find that weariness depresses or amusement distracts you, you will calmly turn with an untroubled spirit to your Heavenly Father, who is always holding out His arms to you. You will look to Him for gladness and refreshment when depressed, for moderation and recollection when in good spirits, and you will find that He will never leave you to want.

I would have every minister of the gospel address his audience with the zeal of a friend, with the generous energy of a father, and with the exuberant affection of a mother.

Our piety must be weak and imperfect if it do not conquer our fear of death.

Before putting yourself in peril, it is necessary to foresee and fear it; but when one is there, nothing remains but to despise it.