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It's motive alone which gives character to the actions of men.
Jean de la Bruyere
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Jean de la Bruyere
Age: 50 †
Born: 1645
Born: August 16
Died: 1696
Died: May 10
Aphorist
Essayist
French Moralist
Lawyer
Philosopher
Translator
Writer
Paris
France
Jean de La Bruyere
Character
Giving
Men
Motive
Actions
Gives
Alone
Action
More quotes by Jean de la Bruyere
The finest pleasure is kindness to others.
Jean de la Bruyere
The pleasure a man of honor enjoys in the consciousness of having performed his duty is a reward he pays himself for all his pains.
Jean de la Bruyere
Both as to high and low indifferently, men are prepossessed, charmed, fascinated by success successful crimes are praised very much like virtue itself, and good fortune is not far from occupying the place of the whole cycle of virtues. It must be an atrocious act, a base and hateful deed, which success would not be able to justify.
Jean de la Bruyere
Life is a kind of sleep: old men sleep longest, nor begin to wake but when they are to die.
Jean de la Bruyere
It takes talent to please the people in a sermon by a flowery style, a cheerful ethic, brilliant sallies and lively descriptions but such a talent is inadequate. A better sort of talent neglects these extraneous ornaments, unworthy to be used in the service of the Gospel: such a preacher's sermon will be simple, strong and Christian.
Jean de la Bruyere
Men regret their life has been ill-spent, but this does not always induce them to make a better use of the time they have yet to live.
Jean de la Bruyere
It is better to expose ourselves to ingratitude than to neglect our duty to the distressed.
Jean de la Bruyere
I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13, 1524 Marriage, it seems, confines every man to his proper rank.
Jean de la Bruyere
There is no excess in the world so commendable as excessive gratitude.
Jean de la Bruyere
It seems to me that the spirit of politeness is a certain attention in causing that, by our words and by our manners, others may be content with us and with themselves.
Jean de la Bruyere
If a handsome woman allows that another woman is beautiful, we may safely conclude she excels her.
Jean de la Bruyere
I am not surprised that there are gambling houses, like so many snares laid for human avarice like abysses where many a man's money is engulfed and swallowed up without any hope of return like frightful rocks against which the gamblers are thrown and perish.
Jean de la Bruyere
It is the glory and merit of some men to write well and of others not to write at all.
Jean de la Bruyere
It is not so easy to obtain a reputation by a perfect work as to enhance the value of an indifferent one by a reputation already acquired.
Jean de la Bruyere
Rarely do they appear great before their valets. [Fr., Rarement ils sont grands vis-a-vis de leur valets-de-chambre.]
Jean de la Bruyere
Outward simplicity befits ordinary men, like a garment made to measure for them but it serves as an adornment to those who have filled their lives with great deeds: they might be compared to some beauty carelessly dressed and thereby all the more attractive.
Jean de la Bruyere
Children are overbearing, supercilious, passionate, envious, inquisitive, egotistical, idle, fickle, timid, intemperate, liars, and dissemblers they laugh and weep easily, are excessive in their joys and sorrows, and that about the most trifling objects they bear no pain, but like to inflict it on others already they are men.
Jean de la Bruyere
A party spirit betrays the greatest men to act as meanly as the vulgar herd.
Jean de la Bruyere
If you suppress the exorbitant love of pleasure and money, idle curiosity, iniquitous pursuits and wanton mirth, what a stillness would there be in the greatest cities.
Jean de la Bruyere
There are but three events which concern man: birth, life and death. They are unconscious of their birth, they suffer when they die, and they neglect to live.
Jean de la Bruyere
