“There exist some evils so terrible and some misfortunes so horrible that we dare not think of them, whilst their very aspect makes us shudder; but if they happen to fall on us, we find ourselves stronger than we imagined, we grapple with our ill luck, and behave better than we expected we should.” IfsThinkingShouldHappensFallEvilFearTerribleAspectStrongerLuckIllDareExpectedResilienceHorribleBehaveMisfortunes Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“We should like those whom we love to receive all their happiness, or, if this were impossible, all their unhappiness from our hands.” IfsLoveShouldHandsImpossibleUnhappiness Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“He who only writes to suit the taste of the age, considers himself more than his writings. We should always aim at perfection, and then posterity will do us that justice which sometimes our contemporaries refuse us.” ShouldWritingSometimesAgeJusticeTastePerfectionAimRefuseSuitsPosterity Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“We should only endeavour to think and speak correctly ourselves, without wishing to bring others over to our taste and opinions.” ThinkingShouldSpeakWishOpinionTasteEndeavour Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“I am not surprised that men who put their trust in an atom should fail in their slightest attempts to plumb truth, that with such limited vision they cannot see beyond the sky and the stars to God Himself; that since they cannot discern the superiority of what is spiritual or the dignity of man's soul, they are even more unaware how hard it is to satisfy, how the whole earth is unworthy of it, how urgently it needs a supremely perfect being, who is God, and how indispensable to it is a religion which will lead it towards God and provide a sure pledge of Him.” MenShouldHeavenStarsEffortAtomsDiscoveringContemplatingSmallestShort SightedDiscovering The Truth Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“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.” ShouldLittlesLanguageVoiceStyleExpressionGreat ThingsToneLittle ThingsEmphasisSpoiledLoftyDelivery Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“It is too much for a husband to have a wife who is a coquette and sanctimonious as well; she should select only one of those qualities.” ShouldWellsQualityToo MuchWifeHusbandSelectCoquetteSanctimonious Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“High birth is a gift of fortune which should never challenge esteem towards those who receive it, since it costs them neither study nor labor.” ShouldChallengesStudyBirthCostLaborFortuneEsteem Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“For a woman to be at once a coquette and a bigot is more than the humblest of husbands can bear; she should mercifully choose between the two.” ShouldTwoBearsHusbandBigotsCoquette Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“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.” MenGivingShouldDoeQualityInspireGratitudeGoodnessAppearanceEquityPoliteness Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“It is virtue which should determine us in the choice of our friends, without inquiring into their good or evil fortune.” ShouldChoicesEvilVirtueFriendsFortuneDetermineInquiring Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“It would be a kind of ferocity to reject indifferently all sorts of praise. One should be glad to have that which comes from good men who praise in sincerity things that are really praiseworthy.” MenShouldKindWould BePraiseGladRejectsGood ManSincerityPraiseworthyFerocity Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“We should laugh before being happy, for fear of dying without having laughed.” ShouldHappinessLaughingDyingHappyLaughedBeing HappyGreat HappinessSelf HappinessFear Of Dying Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“We should keep silent about those in power; to speak well of them almost implies flattery; to speak ill of them while they are alive is dangerous, and when they are dead is cowardly.” ShouldWellsSpeakPowerAliveDangerousSilentIllFlatteryCowardly Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“That man is good who does good to others; if he suffers on account of the good he does, he is very good; if he suffers at the hands of those to whom he has done good, then his goodness is so great that it could be enhanced only by greater sufferings; and if he should die at their hands, his virtue can go no further: it is heroic, it is perfect.” IfsMenShouldDoeDoneHandsSufferingDiesPerfectVirtueGreaterGoodnessAccountsVery GoodHeroicAltruism Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“One should never risk a joke, even of the mildest and most unexceptional charters, except among people of culture and wit.” PeopleShouldCultureRiskJokesWitCharter Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“Politeness makes one appear outwardly as they should be within.” ShouldMannersPoliteness Author:Jean de la Bruyere
