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The Great slight the men of wit, who have nothing but wit the men of wit despise the Great, who have nothing but greatness the good man pities them both, if with greatness or wit they have not virtue.

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
Men
Despise
Wit
Pity
Greatness
Virtue
Nothing
Great
Pities
Good
Slight

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It's motive alone which gives character to the actions of men.
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All the world says of a coxcomb that he is a coxcomb but no one dares to say so to his face, and he dies without knowing it.
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Everything has been said, and we have come too late, now that men have been living and thinking for seven thousand years and more.
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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.
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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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The best way to get on in the world is to make people believe it's to their advantage to help you.
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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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Logic is the art of making truth prevail.
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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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We should only endeavour to think and speak correctly ourselves, without wishing to bring others over to our taste and opinions.
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False glory is the rock of vanity it seduces men to affect esteem by things which they indeed possess, but which are frivolous, and which for a man to value himself on would be a scandalous error.
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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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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.
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We trust our secrets to our friends, but they escape from us in love.
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When we are young we lay up for old age when we are old we save for death.
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A heap of epithets is poor praise: the praise lies in the facts, and in the way of telling them.
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Making a book is a craft, like making a clock it needs more than native wit to be an author.
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If it be true that a man is rich who wants nothing, a wise man is a very rich man.
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It is through madness that we hate an enemy, and think of revenging ourselves and it is through indolence that we are appeased, and do not revenge ourselves.
Jean de la Bruyere