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The most civilized people are as near to barbarism as the most polished steel is to rust. Nations, like metals, have only a superficial brilliancy.

Antoine Rivarol

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Antoine Rivarol
Age: 47 †
Born: 1753
Born: June 26
Died: 1801
Died: April 11
Aphorist
French Moralist
Journalist
Pamphleteer
Poet
Translator
Writer
Banhòus de Céser
Rivarol
Superficial
Steel
Civilized
Brilliancy
Near
Barbarism
Nations
Rust
Political
Polished
Like
People
Metals

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Reason is the historian, but passions are the actors.
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Extremes produce reaction. Beware that our boasted civilization does not lapse into barbarism.
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What isn’t clear, isn’t French.
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The modest man has everything to gain, and the arrogant man everything to lose for modesty has always to deal with generosity, and arrogance with envy.
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Generally speaking, there is more wit than talent in the world. Society swarms with witty people who lack talent.
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The despotism of will in ideas is styled plan, project, character, obstinacy its despotism in desires is called passion.
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It has been very truly said that the mob has many heads, but no brains.
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Ideas are a capital that bears interest only in the hands of talent.
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History is only time furnished with dates and rich with events.
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Tenderness is the infancy of love.
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The woman who too easily and ardently yielded her devotion will find that its vitality, like a bright fire, soon consumes itself.
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A fool may have his coat embroidered with gold, but it is a fool's coat still.
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In general, indulgence for those we know is rarer than pity for those we know not.
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