Stanisław I Leszczyński
Some like to understand what they believe in. Others like to believe in what they understand.Collection: Believe
He who fears death dies every time he thinks of it.Collection: Thinking
The strong desire for success is the best indication that you can achieve success.Collection: Strong
To make good use of life, one should have in youth the experience of advanced years, and in old age the vigor of youth.Collection: Life
Can princes born in palaces be sensible of the misery of those who dwell in cottages?Collection: Cottages
A well-read fool is the most pestilent of blockheads; his learning is a flail which he knows not how to handle, and with which he breaks his neighbor's shins as well as his own. Keep a fellow of this description at arm's length, as you value the integrity of your bones.Collection: Integrity
Conscience warns us as a friend before it punishes us as a judge.Collection: Integrity
To believe with certainty, we must begin with doubting.Collection: Faith
How many persons fancy they have experience simply because they have grown old!Collection: Age
Genius speaks only to genius.Collection: Genius
We rise to fortune by successive steps; we descend by only one.Collection: Steps
Misers are very kind people: they amass wealth for those who wish their death.Collection: Death
Esteem has more engaging charms than friendship, or even love. It captivates hearts better, and never makes ings.Collection: Respect
I believe, indeed, that it is more laudable to suffer great misfortunes than to do great things.Collection: Believe
We are usually mistaken in esteeming men too much; rarely in esteeming them too little.Collection: Respect
I know no real worth but that tranquil firmness which seeks dangers by duty, and braves them without rashness.Collection: Real
There are few defects in our nature so glaring as not to be veiled from observation by politeness and good-breeding.Collection: Breeding
Affectation discovers sooner what one is than it makes known what one would fain appear to be.Collection: Known
Religion has nothing more to fear than not being sufficiently understood.Collection: Religion
Gaiety is the soul's health; sadness is its poison.Collection: Sadness
The earliest desire of succeeding is almost always a prognostic of success.Collection: Success
Nothing but religion is capable of changing pains into pleasures.Collection: Pain
It is having in some measure a sort of wit to know how to use the wit of others.Collection: Use
Science when well-digested is nothing but good sense and reason.Collection: Science
To be vain of one's rank or place is to show that one is below it.Collection: Class
Where religion speaks, reason has only a right to hear.Collection: Speak
Reason shows us our duty; he who can make us love our duty is more powerful than reason itself.Collection: Powerful
When the truth offends no one it should come from our lips as naturally as the air we breathe.Collection: Truth
Those who ought to be secure from calumny are generally those who avoid it least.Collection: Calumny
None are rash when they are not seen by anybody.Collection: Rashness
Politeness has been defined to be artificial good-nature; but we may affirm, with much greater propriety, that good-nature is natural politeness.Collection: May
There are few persons of greater worth than their reputation; but how many are there whose worth is far short of their reputation!Collection: Reputation
It is hardly possible to suspect another without having in one's self the seeds of baseness the party is accused of.Collection: Party
Is it not astonishing that the love of repose keeps us in continual agitation?Collection: Agitation
In all sorts of government man is made to believe himself free, and to be in chains.Collection: Believe
The Word of God proves the truth of religion; the corruption of man, its necessity; government, its advantages.Collection: Men
The instability of our tastes is the occasion of the irregularity of our lives.Collection: Taste