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Politeness does not always inspire goodness, equity, complaisance, and gratitude it gives at least the appearance of these qualities, and makes man appear outwardly, as he should be within.

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
Always
Inspire
Outwardly
Men
Gives
Politeness
Least
Equity
Quality
Qualities
Within
Appear
Makes
Appearance
Doe
Goodness
Giving
Gratitude
Complaisance

More quotes by Jean de la Bruyere

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We seldom repent of speaking little, very often of speaking too much: a vulgar and trite maxim, which all the world knows and, but which all the world does not practice
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He who will not listen to any advice, nor be corrected in his writings, is a rank pedant.
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For some people, speaking and giving offence are one and the same thing. They are spiteful and bitter their style is infused with gall and wormwood mockery, abuse and insults flow from their lips like spittle.
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Foolish jokers are thick on the ground, and it rains insects of that sort everywhere. A good joker is a rarity even a man who is such by nature finds it hard to sustain the part for long it seldom happens that the man who makes us laugh wins our esteem.
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Children have neither past nor future and that which seldom happens to us, they rejoice in the present. [Fr., Les enfants n'ont ni passe ni avenir et, ce qui ne nous arrive guere, ils jouissent du present.]
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We are more sociable, and get on better with people by the heart than the intellect.
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If a handsome woman allows that another woman is beautiful, we may safely conclude she excels her.
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Children enjoy the present because they have neither a past nor a future.
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A man unattached and without wife, if he have any genius at all, may raise himself above his original position, may mingle with the world of fashion, and hold himself on a level with the highest this is less easy for him who is engaged it seems as if marriage put the whole world in their proper rank.
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A pious man is one who would be an atheist if the king were.
Jean de la Bruyere
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A heap of epithets is poor praise: the praise lies in the facts, and in the way of telling them.
Jean de la Bruyere
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The State not seldom tolerates a comparatively great evil to keep out millions of lesser ills and inconveniences which otherwise would be inevitable and without remedy.
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He who can wait for what he desires takes the course not to be exceedingly grieved if he fails of it he, on the contrary, who labors after a thing too impatiently thinks the success when it comes is not a recompense equal to all the pains he has been at about it.
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The events we most desire do not happen or, if they do, it is neither in the time nor in the circumstances when they would have given us extreme pleasure.
Jean de la Bruyere
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Rarely do they appear great before their valets.
Jean de la Bruyere
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In all conditions of life a poor man is a near neighbor to an honest one, and a rich man is as little removed from a knave.
Jean de la Bruyere
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A wise man is not governed by others, nor does he try to govern them he prefers that reason alone prevail.
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An egotist will always speak of himself, either in praise or in censure, but a modest man ever shuns making himself the subject of his conversation.
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If men wish to be held in esteem, they must associate with those only who are estimable.
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Discretion is the perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of life. It is only found in men of sound sense and understanding.
Jean de la Bruyere