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.]
Praise, of all things, is the most powerful excitement to commendable actions, and animates us in our enterprises.
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 practice
Life is short, if we are only said to live when we enjoy ourselves; and if we were merely to count up the hours we spent agreeably, a great number of years would hardly make up a life of a few months.
Such a great misfortune, not to be able to be alone.
This great misfortune, to be incapable of solitude.
To delay is injustice.
Party loyalty lowers the greatest men to the petty level of the masses.
A man unattached and without wife, if he have any genius at all, may raise himself above his original position, may mingle with the world of fashion, and hold himself on a level with the highest; this is less easy for him who is engaged; it seems as if marriage put the whole world in their proper rank.
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 found.
The regeneration of society is the regeneration of society by individual education.
Tyranny has no need of arts or sciences, for its policy, which is very shallow and without any refinement, only consists in shedding blood.
We perceive when love begins and when it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.
One should never risk a joke, even of the mildest and most unexceptional charters, except among people of culture and wit.
When what you read elevates your mind and fills you with noble aspirations, look for no other rule by which to judge a book; it is good, and is the work of a master-hand.
How happy the station which every moment furnishes opportunities of doing good to thousands! How dangerous that which every moment exposes to the injuring of millions!
No man is so perfect, so necessary to his friends as to give them no cause to miss him less.
Sudden love is latest cured.
The noblest deeds are well enough set forth in simple language; emphasis spoils them.
Nothing is easier for passion than to overcome reason, but the greatest triumph is to conquer a man's own interests.
Rarely do they appear great before their valets. [Fr., Rarement ils sont grands vis-a-vis de leur valets-de-chambre.]
The generality of men expend the early part of their lives in contributing to render the latter part miserable.
It is a proof of boorishness to confer a favor with a bad grace; it is the act of giving that is hard and painful. How little does a smile cost?
There is nothing which continues longer than a moderate fortune; nothing of which one sees sooner the end than a large fortune.
Wit is the god of moments, but Genius is the god of ages.
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