A Quote by Jean de la Bruyere
A fool is one whom simpletons believe to be a man on merit.
[Fr., Un fat celui que les sots croient un homme de merite.]
Related Quotes
The same principle leads us to neglect a man of merit that induces us to admire a fool.
[Fr., Du meme fonds dont on neglige un homme de merite l'on sait encore admirer un sot.]
The incredulous are the more credulous. They believe the miracles of Vespasian that they may not believe those of Moses.
[Fr., Incredules les plus credules. Ils croient les miracle de Vespasien, pour ne pas croire ceux de Moise.]
A coxcomb is one whom simpletons believe to be a man of merit.
Il n'y a que deux sortes d'hommes: les uns justes, qui se croient pe cheurs; les autres pe cheurs, qui se croient justes. There are only two types of people: the virtuous who believe themselves to be sinners and the sinners who believe themselves to be virtuous.
The proper Science and Subject for Man's Contemplation is Man himself.
[Fr., La vraie science et le vrai etude de l'homme c'est l'homme.]
The need for sociability induce man to be in touch with his fellow men. However, this need might not ("ne saurait", Fr.) find its full (or complete) satisfaction in the conventional (or superficial, - "conventionnel", Fr.) and deceitful world, in which (or where) everyone is mainly (or mostly) trying to assert oneself in front of others ("devant les autres", Fr.), to appear, and hoping to find in society ("mondaine", Fr.) relationships some advantages for his interest and vanity (or vainglory or conceit", Fr).
The favor of princes does not preclude the existence of merit, and yet does not prove that it exists.
[Fr., La faveur des princes n'exclut pas le merite, et ne le suppose pas aussi.]
A young man with a very good past.
[Fr., Un jeune homme d'un bien beau passe.]
The shortest follies are the best.
[Fr., Les plus courtes folies sont les meilleures.]
A good man ("un homme de bien", Fr.) never wholly perishes, the best part of his being outlives (or survives) in eternity.
The smallest errors are always the best.
[Fr., Les plus courtes erreurs sont toujours les meilleures.]
Speech was given to man to disguise his thoughts.
[Fr., La parole a ete donnce a l'homme pour deguiser sa pensee.]
Fear made the gods; audacity has made kings.
[Fr., La crainte fit les dieux; l'audace a fait les rois.]
Men are the cause of women not loving one another.
[Fr., Les hommes sont la cause que les femmes ne s'aiment point.]
The reasoning man who scorns the prejudices of simpletons necessarily becomes the enemy of simpletons; he must expect as much, and laugh at the inevitable.
A look of intelligence is what regularity of features is to women: it is a styule of beauty to which the most vain may aspire.
[Fr., L'air spirituel est dans les hommes ce que la regularite des traits est dans les femmes: c'est le genre de beaute ou les plus vains puissent aspirer.]
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