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We need to be just before we are generous, as we need shirts before ruffles.

Nicolas Chamfort

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Nicolas Chamfort
Age: 53 †
Born: 1741
Born: April 6
Died: 1794
Died: April 13
Journalist
Philosopher
Playwright
Poet
Politician
Writer
Clarmont-Ferrand
Ruffles
Shirts
Generosity
Generous
Need
Needs

More quotes by Nicolas Chamfort

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Public opinion reigns in society because stupidity reigns amongst the stupid.
Nicolas Chamfort
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In living and in seeing other men, the heart must break or become as bronze.
Nicolas Chamfort
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He who leaves the game wins it.
Nicolas Chamfort
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And so I leave this world, where the heart must either break or turn to lead (suicide note)
Nicolas Chamfort
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Love is more pleasant than marriage for the same reason that novels are more amusing than history.
Nicolas Chamfort
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There are more fools than wise men, and even in a wise man there is more folly than wisdom.
Nicolas Chamfort
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Men's hearts and faces are always wide asunder women's are not only in close connection, but are mirror-like in the instant power of reflection.
Nicolas Chamfort
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Do not suppose opportunity will knock twice at your door.
Nicolas Chamfort
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There are more people who wish to be loved than there are who are willing to love.
Nicolas Chamfort
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If it wasn't for me, I'd do brilliantly.
Nicolas Chamfort
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Men whose only concern is other people's opinion of them are like actors who put on a poor performance to win the applause of people of poor taste some of them would be capable of good acting in front of a good audience. A decent man plays his part to the best of his ability, regardless of the taste of the gallery.
Nicolas Chamfort
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A good number of works owe their success to the mediocrity of their authors' ideas, which match the mediocrity of those of the general public.
Nicolas Chamfort
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An author is often obscure to the reader because they proceed from the thought to expression than like the reader from the expression to the thought.
Nicolas Chamfort
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If it were not for the government, we should have nothing to laugh at in France.
Nicolas Chamfort
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Scandal is an importunate wasp, against which we must make no movement unless we are quite sure that we can kill it otherwise it will return to the attack more furious than ever.
Nicolas Chamfort
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Pleasure may come from illusion, but happiness can come only of reality.
Nicolas Chamfort
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When a man and a woman have an overwhelming passion for each other, it seems to me, in spite of such obstacles dividing them as parents or husband, that they belong to each other in the name of Nature, and are lovers by Divine right, in spite of human convention or the laws.
Nicolas Chamfort
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A lover is a man who tries to be more amiable than it is possible for him to be.
Nicolas Chamfort
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The threat of a neglected cold is for doctors what the threat of purgatory is for priests-a gold mine.
Nicolas Chamfort
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Change of fashion is the tax levied by the industry of the poor on the vanity of the rich.
Nicolas Chamfort