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Great things only require to be simply told, for they are spoiled by emphasis but little things should be clothed in lofty language, as they are only kept up by expression, tone of voice, and style of delivery.

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
Things
Style
Delivery
Told
Spoiled
Simply
Lofty
Voice
Emphasis
Language
Require
Littles
Tone
Little
Kept
Great
Expression
Clothed

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All men's misfortunes spring from their hatred of being alone.
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Friendship * * * is a long time in forming, it is of slow growth, through many trials and months of familiarity.
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The slave has but one master, the ambitious man has as many as there are persons whose aid may contribute to the advancement of his fortunes.
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The Opera is obviously the first draft of a fine spectacle it suggests the idea of one.
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The rarest things in the world, next to a spirit of discernment, are diamonds and pearls. [Fr., Apres l'esprit de discernement, ce qu'il y a au monde de plus rare, ce sont les diamants et les perles.]
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A man's worth is estimated in this world according to his conduct.
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Widows, like ripe fruit, drop easily from their perch.
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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.
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Languages are the keys of science.
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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.
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Time makes friendship stronger, but love weaker.
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The fears of old age disturb us, yet how few attain it?
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Genius and great abilities are often wanting sometimes, only opportunities. Some deserve praise for what they have done others for what they would have done.
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We wish to constitute all the happiness, or, if that cannot be, the misery of the one we love.
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A position of eminence makes a great person greater and a small person less.
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To express truth is to write naturally, forcibly, and delicately.
Jean de la Bruyere
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A vain man finds his account in speaking good or evil of himself.
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Let us not complain against men because otheir rudeness, their ingratitude, their injustice, their arrogance, their love oself, their forgetfulness oothers. They are so made. Such is their nature.
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All confidence placed in another is dangerous if it is not perfect, for on almost all occasions we ought to tell everything or to conceal everything. We have already told too much of our secret, if one single circumstance is to be kept back.
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A man without characteristics is a most insipid character.
Jean de la Bruyere