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Profound ignorance makes a man dogmatic. The man who knows nothing thinks he is teaching others what he has just learned himself the man who knows a great deal can't imagine that what he is saying is not common knowledge, and speaks more indifferently.

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
Speak
Teaching
Makes
Deal
Indifferently
Others
Deals
Dogmatic
Nothing
Learned
Speaks
Great
Saying
Thinks
Men
Imagine
Profound
Thinking
Knowledge
Ignorance
Common
Speech

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Misers are neither relations, nor friends, nor citizens, nor Christians, nor perhaps even human beings.
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The whole genius of an author consists in describing well, and delineating character well. Homer, Plato, Virgil, Horace only excel other writers by their expressions and images we must indicate what is true if we mean to write naturally, forcibly and delicately.
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To give awkwardly is churlishness. The most difficult part is to give, then why not add a smile?
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Men blush less for their crimes than for their weaknesses and vanity.
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Wit is the god of moments, but Genius is the god of ages.
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The first day one is a guest, the second a burden, and the third a pest.
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Languages are no more than the keys of Sciences. He who despises one, slights the other.
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A dogmatic tone is generally inspired by abysmal ignorance. The man who knows nothing thinks he is informing others of something which he has that moment learnt the man who knows a great deal can scarcely believe that people are ignorant of what he is telling them, and speaks more diffidently.
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A party spirit betrays the greatest men to act as meanly as the vulgar herd.
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It requires more than mere genius to be an author.
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For a woman to be at once a coquette and a bigot is more than the humblest of husbands can bear she should mercifully choose between the two.
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Intelligence is to genius as the whole is in proportion to its part. [Fr., Entre esprit et talent il y a la proportion du tout a sa partie.]
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Cunning is none of the best nor worst qualities it floats between virtue and vice there is scarce any exigence where it may not, and perhaps ought not to be supplied by prudence.
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It is better to expose ourselves to ingratitude than to neglect our duty to the distressed.
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Amongst such as out of cunning hear all and talk little, be sure to talk less or if you must talk, say little.
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Among some people arrogance supplies the place of grandeur, inhumanity of decision, and roguery of intelligence.
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Love has this in common with scruples, that it becomes embittered by the reflections and the thoughts that beset us to free ourselves.
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As long as men are liable to die and are desirous to live, a physician will be made fun of, but he will be well paid.
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When what you read elevates your mind and fills you with noble aspirations, look for no other rule by which to judge a book it is good, and is the work of a master-hand.
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