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I do not approve the maxim which desires a man to know a little of everything. Superficial knowledge, knowledge without principles, is almost always useless and sometimes harmful knowledge.

Luc de Clapiers

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Luc de Clapiers
Age: 31 †
Born: 1715
Born: August 6
Died: 1747
Died: May 28
Essayist
Military Personnel
Philosopher
Writer
Aix
Men
Knowledge
Approve
Desire
Harmful
Littles
Maxims
Little
Superficial
Everything
Desires
Without
Useless
Sometimes
Principles
Always
Almost
Maxim

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You can purchase the mind of Pascal for a crown. Pleasures even cheaper are sold to those who give themselves up to them. It is only luxuries and objects of caprice that are rare and difficult to obtain unfortunately they are the only things that touch the curiosity and taste of ordinary men.
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Those who can bear all can dare all.
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It is unjust to exact that men shall do out of deference to our advice what they have no desire to do for themselves.
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We can love with all our hearts those in whom we recognize great faults. It would be impertinent to believe that perfection alone has the right to please us sometimes our weaknesses attach us to each other as much as our virtues.
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Truth is not so threadbare as speech, because fewer people can make use of it.
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If passion sometimes counsels greater boldness than does reflection, it gives more strength to execute it.
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All men are born truthful and die liars.
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Every thought is new when an author expresses it in a manner peculiar to himself.
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Great men in teaching weak men to reflect have set them on the road to error.
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Hope deceives more men than cunning does.
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Newton, Pascal, Bossuet, Racine, F?nelon -- that is to say, some of the most enlightened men on earth, in the most philosophical of all ages -- have been believers in Jesus Christ and the great Cond?, when dying, repeated these noble words, Yes, I shall see God as He is, face to face!.
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It is of no use to possess a lively wit if it is not of the right proportion: the perfection of a clock is not to go fast, but to be accurate.
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Give help rather than advice.
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Generosity gives assistance, rather than advice.
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All erroneous ideas would perish of their own accord if given clear expression.
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The usual pretext of those who make others unhappy is that they do it for their own good.
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Persevere in the fight, struggle on, do not let go, think magnanimously of man and life, for man is good and life is affluent and fruitful.
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To withdraw ourselves from the law of the strong, we have found ourselves obliged to submit to justice. Justice or might, we must choose between these two masters.
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You must maintain strength of body in order to preserve strength of mind.
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Whoever has seen the masked at a ball dance amicably together, and take hold of hands without knowing each other, leaving the next moment to meet no more, can form an idea of the world.
Luc de Clapiers