Jean de la Bruyere
The most important things must be said simply, for they are spoiled by bombast; whereas trivial things must be described grandly, for they are supported only by aptness of expression, tone and manner.Collection: Expression
The spendthrift robs his heirs the miser robs himself.Collection: Heirs
If a handsome woman allows that another woman is beautiful, we may safely conclude she excels her.Collection: Beautiful
A man has made great progress in cunning when he does not seem too clever to others.Collection: Clever
It is a great misfortune neither to have enough wit to talk well nor enough judgment to be silent.Collection: Silence
Love seizes us suddenly, without giving warning, and our disposition or our weakness favors the surprise; one look, one glance, from the fair fixes and determines us.Collection: Love
Misers are neither relations, nor friends, nor citizens, nor Christians, nor perhaps even human beings.Collection: Christian
A man who knows the court is master of his gestures, of his eyes and of his face; he is profound, impenetratable; he dissimulates bad offices, smiles at his enemies, controls his irritation, disguises his passions, belies his heartm speaks and acts against his feelings.Collection: Passion
Next to sound judgment, diamonds and pearls are the rarest things in the world.Collection: Sound
Men fall from great fortune because of the same shortcomings that led to their rise.Collection: Failure
A position of eminence makes a great person greater and a small person less.Collection: Greatness
A judge's duty is to grant justice, but his practice is to delay it: even those judges who know their duty adhere to the general practice.Collection: Practice
Great things astonish us, and small dishearten us. Custom makes both familiar.Collection: Familiar
Laziness begat wearisomeness, and this put men in quest of diversions, play and company, on which however it is a constant attendant; he who works hard, has enough to do with himself otherwise.Collection: Hard Work
When we lavish our money we rob our heir; when we merely save it we rob ourselves.Collection: Money
If it be usual to be strongly impressed by things that are scarce, why are we so little impressed by virtue?Collection: Usual