The beginning and the end of love are both marked by embarrassment when the two find themselves alone. [Fr., Le commencement et… — Jean de la Bruyere Amour Copy Share Image
The most important things must be said simply, for they are spoiled by bombast; whereas trivial things must be described grandly, for… — Jean de la Bruyere Expression Copy Share Image
A mediocre mind thinks it writes divinely; a good mind thinks it writes reasonably. — Jean de la Bruyere Mediocre Copy Share Image
The State not seldom tolerates a comparatively great evil to keep out millions of lesser ills and inconveniences which otherwise would be… — Jean de la Bruyere Evil Copy Share Image
A great mind is above insults, injustice, grief, and raillery, and would be invulnerable were it not open to compassion. — Jean de la Bruyere Compassion Copy Share Image
I do not doubt but that genuine piety is the spring of peace of mind; it enables us to bear the sorrows… — Jean de la Bruyere Bears Copy Share Image
To how many girls has a great beauty been of no other use but to make them expect a large fortune! — Jean de la Bruyere Beauty Copy Share Image
We seldom repent of speaking little, very often of speaking too much: a vulgar and trite maxim, which all the world knows… — Jean de la Bruyere Doe Copy Share Image
There are but two ways of rising in the world: either by one's own industry or profiting by the foolishness of others.… — Jean de la Bruyere Foolishness Copy Share Image
Children have neither past nor future; they enjoy the present, which very few of us do. — Jean de la Bruyere Children Copy Share Image
A slave has but one master; an ambitious man has as many masters as there are people who may be useful in… — Jean de la Bruyere Ambitious Copy Share Image
He who excels in his art so as to carry it to the utmost height of perfection of which it is capable… — Jean de la Bruyere Art Copy Share Image
The Great slight the men of wit, who have nothing but wit; the men of wit despise the Great, who have nothing… — Jean de la Bruyere Despise Copy Share Image
A long disease seems to be a halting place between life and death, that death itself may be a comfort to those… — Jean de la Bruyere Behinds Copy Share Image
We are valued in this world at the rate we desire to be valued. — Jean de la Bruyere Desire Copy Share Image
It is not so easy to obtain a reputation by a perfect work as to enhance the value of an indifferent one… — Jean de la Bruyere Easy Copy Share Image
False greatness is unsociable and remote: conscious of its own frailty, it hides, or at least averts its face, and reveals itself… — Jean de la Bruyere Admire Copy Share Image
All confidence placed in another is dangerous if it is not perfect, for on almost all occasions we ought to tell everything… — Jean de la Bruyere All occasions Copy Share Image
There are some souls so base and filthy that they love gain and interest as noble souls love fame and virtue, knowing… — Jean de la Bruyere Acquire Copy Share Image
“The pleasure of criticism takes away from us the pleasure of being deeply moved by very fine things.” — Jean de La Bruyère Criticism Copy Share Image
A man is thirty years old before he has any settled thoughts of his fortune; it is not completed before fifty. He… — Jean de la Bruyere Age Copy Share Image
It would be a kind of ferocity to reject indifferently all sorts of praise. One should be glad to have that which… — Jean de la Bruyere Ferocity Copy Share Image
Most men spend the best part of their lives making the remaining part wretched. — Jean de la Bruyere Firsts Copy Share Image
