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Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable

Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable Books

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“We often value the exterior and superficial aspect of things more than their inner reality. Bad manners taint everything even justice and reason. The 'how' of things matters most, and even the most disagreeable matters can be sweetened and gilded over with the proper appearance. Such is the bias and the weakness of the human mind.”

MindHumansMatterReasonRealityValuesJusticeWeaknessAspectAppearanceMannersHuman MindBiasSuperficialDisagreeableExteriorGildedBad Manners
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“There is nothing that does not have something perfect in it; and it is the happiness of good taste to be able to find this perfection in all things. But there is a natural malignity that often discovers a vice in the midst of several virtues, in order to reveal and proclaim the discovery to all the world - a quality that is more the mark of a naturally evil temperament than a superior sense of discrimination. And it is truly an evil lot, to pass one's life always feeding off the imperfections of others.”

WorldLifeDoeAbleOrderEvilNaturalPerfectQualityVirtueTasteDiscoveryAll ThingsPerfectionMarkVicesDiscriminationSuperiorsMidstImperfectionFeedingTemperamentGood Taste
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“One cannot always bestow all manner of things upon everybody. To refuse a request for just cause is as praiseworthy as to grant a request that is worthy. It is for this reason that the "no" of some people pleases more than the "yes" of others. A refusal accompanied by sweet words and a civil manner gives more satisfaction to a true heart than a favor given with bad grace.”

PeopleGivingHeartReasonGivenCausesGraceSweetPleaseSatisfactionRefuseWorthyFavorsGrantsRequestRefusalPraiseworthyTrue HeartSweet Words
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“There are people so blind and self-absorbed in all matters that they always believe that, whatever they desire or think, they can impose their will on other people. Whatever bad reason they use to persuade others, these self-centered people are so caught up in the process that it seems to them all they have to do is to speak their wishes in a lofty and commanding tone of voice in order to convince everybody.”

PeopleThinkingBelieveSelfMatterReasonUseSeemsDesireOrderBeliefSpeakWishProcessVoiceBlindCaughtToneConvinceCaught UpAlways BelieveSelf CenteredLoftySelf AbsorbedSelf Centered People
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“There are petty-minded people who cannot endure to be reminded of their ignorance because, since they are usually quite blind to all things, quite foolish, and quite ignorant, they never question anything, and are persuaded that they see clearly what in fact they never see at all, save through the darkness of their own dispositions.”

PeopleFactsDarknessIgnoranceAll ThingsBlindEndureFoolishIgnorantFoolishnessDispositionPetty
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“When High and Mighty people want to make us believe that they possess some good quality which they in fact do not have, it is dangerous to show that you doubt them; because, by removing their hope of deceiving the world, you also remove their desire to perform the good acts that might have arisen from their very pretensions.”

PeopleWorldWantBelieveFactsShowsMightLyingDesireBeliefQualityDoubtDangerousDangerDeceitRemoveDeceivingPretensionGood Quality
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“Nothing can tell us so much about the general lawlessness of humanity as a perfect acquaintance with our own immoderate behavior. If we would think over our own impulses, we would recognize in our own souls the guiding principle of all vices which we reproach in other people; and if it is not in our very actions, it will be present at least in our impulses. There is no malice that self-love will not offer to our spirits so that we may exploit any occasion, and there are few people virtuous enough not to be tempted.”

PeopleIfsThinkingMaySoulSelfEnoughActionSpiritHumanityPerfectPrinciplesSelf LoveOffersBehaviorVicesOccasionsImpulseVirtuousTemptedAcquaintanceExploitsMaliceReproachLawlessnessGuiding Principles
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“We are more put off by people who parade their dignity than by people who show off their wardrobes. When people have to trick themselves out to gain attention, it is a sure sign that they are unworthy of it. If we want to make ourselves worthy, we can do so only by the innate eminence conferred by virtue. We hold great people in esteem more for the qualities of their soul than for the qualities of their fortune.”

PeopleIfsWantSoulShowsCan DoAttentionQualityVirtueGainsDignityFortuneWorthyTricksEsteemInnateUnworthyGreat PeopleWardrobeParadesShowing OffEminence
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“Good fortune almost always makes some change in a man's behavior - in his manner of speaking and acting. It is a great weakness to want to bedeck oneself in qualities which are not his own. If he esteemed virtue above all other things, neither the favors of fortune nor the advantages of position would change a man's face or heart.”

IfsMenWantHeartFacesActingQualityVirtuePositionBehaviorWeaknessAdvantageFortuneOneselfFavorsGood Fortune
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“There is no more reason to accuse ourselves excessively of our failings than to excuse them overmuch. He who goes overboard in self-criticism often does so in order not to suffer others' criticisms, or else does so out of a kind of vanity that wishes to make others believe that he knows how to confess his faults.”

KnowsBelieveKindDoeSelfReasonSufferingOrderBeliefWishKnow HowFailingCriticismFaultsExcuseVanitySelf CriticismOverboard
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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“The maxims of Christian life, which should draw upon the truths of the Gospel, are always partially symbolic of the mind and temperament of those who teach them to us. The former, by their natural sweetness, show us the quality of God's mercy; the latter, by their harshness, show us God's justice.”

LifeShouldMindShowsChristianNaturalJusticeQualityTeachDrawsMercyChristian LifeFormerLatterSweetnessMaximsTemperamentSymbolicHarshness
Author:Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
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