Volume 7 — A SELECTION FROM THE "MAXIMS"[26]
Reading edition
A SELECTION FROM THE "MAXIMS"[26]
The contempt of riches in philosophers was only a hidden desire to avenge their merit upon the injustice of fortune, by despising the very goods of which fortune had deprived them; it was a secret to guard themselves against the degradation of poverty; it was a back way by which to arrive at that distinction which they could not gain by riches.
Perfect valor is to do without witnesses what one would do before all the world.
As it is the mark of great minds to say many things in a few words, so it is that of little minds to use many words to say nothing.
Who lives without folly is not so wise as he thinks.
There is no disguise which can long hide love where it exists, nor feign it where it does not.
The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits.
Almost all the world takes pleasure in paying small debts; many people show gratitude for trifling, but there is hardly one who does not show ingratitude for great favors.
Nothing is rarer than true good nature; those who think they have it are generally only pliant or weak.
There is no less eloquence in the voice, in the eyes and in the air of a speaker than in his choice of words.
True eloquence consists in saying all that should be, not all that could be said.
There are people whose faults become them, others whose very virtues disgrace them.
We are never so happy or so unhappy as we suppose.
Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.
Most people judge men only by success or by fortune.
Love of glory, fear of shame, greed of fortune, the desire to make life agreeable and comfortable, and the wish to depreciate others are often causes of that bravery so vaunted among men.
The fame of great men ought always to be estimated by the means used to acquire it.
If we never flattered ourselves the flattery of others would not hurt us.
When great men permit themselves to be cast down by the continuance of misfortune, they show us that they were only sustained by ambition, and not by their mind; so that plus a great vanity, heroes are made like other men.
We may forgive those who bore us, we can not forgive those whom we bore.
To praise good actions heartily is in some measure to take part in them.
There is a kind of greatness which does not depend upon fortune: it is a certain manner that distinguishes us, and which seems to destine us for great things: it is the value we insensibly set upon ourselves; it is by this quality that we gain the deference of other men, and it is this which commonly raises us more above them than birth, rank, or even merit itself.
The cause why the majority of women are so little given to friendship is, that it is insipid after having felt love.
Women can not be completely severe unless they hate.
The praise we give to new comers into the world arises from the envy we bear to those who are established.
Little minds are too much wounded by little things; great minds see all and are not even hurt.
Most young people think they are natural when they are only boorish and rude.
To establish ourselves in the world we do everything to appear as if we were established.
Why we hate with so much bitterness those who deceive us is because they think themselves more clever than we are.
Too great a hurry to discharge an obligation is a kind of ingratitude.
The moderation of those who are happy arises from the calm which good fortune bestows upon their temper.
Pride is much the same in all men; the only difference is the method and manner of showing it.
The constancy of the wise is only the talent of concealing the agitation of their hearts.
Whatever difference there appears in our fortunes, there is nevertheless a certain compensation of good and evil which renders them equal.
What we term virtue is often but a mass of various actions and divers interests, which fortune, or our own industry, manage to arrange; and it is not always from valor or from chastity that men are brave, and women chaste.
Most men expose themselves in battle enough to save their honor, few wish to do so more than sufficiently, or than is necessary to make the design for which they expose themselves succeed.
If we never flattered ourselves we should have but scant pleasure.
Sincerity is an openness of heart; we find it in very few people; what we usually see is only an artful dissimulation to win the confidence of others.
We may find women who have never indulged in an intrigue, but it is rare to find those who have intrigued but once.
Every one blames his memory, no one blames his judgment.
In the intercourse of life, we please more by our faults than by our good qualities.
We are easily consoled at the misfortunes of our friends when they enable us to prove our tenderness for them.
Virtue in woman is often the love of reputation and repose.
He is a truly good man who desires always to bear the inspection of good men.
We frequently do good to enable us with impunity to do evil.
Every one praises his heart, none dare praise their understanding.
He is really wise who is nettled at nothing.
Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.[27]
In the adversity of our best friends we always find something which is not wholly displeasing to us.[28]
The confidence we have in ourselves arises in a great measure from that that we have in others.
Women for the most part surrender themselves more from weakness than from passion. Whence it is that bold and pushing men succeed better than others, altho they are not so lovable.
The great ones of the earth can neither command health of body nor repose of mind, and they buy always at too dear a price the good they can acquire.
Few things are needed to make a wise man happy; nothing can make a fool content; that is why most men are miserable.
The harm that others do us is often less than that we do ourselves.
Magnanimity is a noble effort of pride which makes a man master of himself, to make him master of all things.