“Intelligence is to genius as the whole is in proportion to its part. [Fr., Entre esprit et talent il y a la proportion du tout a sa partie.]” WholeTalentGeniusProportion Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“It is a proof of boorishness to confer a favor with a bad grace; it is the act of giving that is hard and painful. How little does a smile cost?” GivingLittlesDoeHardGraceCostPainfulProofFavors Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“Some young people do not sufficiently understand the advantages of natural charms, and how much they would gain by trusting to them entirely. They weaken these gifts of heaven, so rare and fragile, by affected manners and an awkward imitation. Their tones and their gait are borrowed; they study their attitudes before the glass until they have lost all trace of natural manner, and, with all their pains, they please but little.” PeopleLittlesPainYoungLostHeavenNaturalAttitudeStudyPleaseGainsAdvantageGlassesMannersToneCharmAffectedFragileAwkwardImitationBorrowedGait Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“Rarely do they appear great before their valets. [Fr., Rarement ils sont grands vis-a-vis de leur valets-de-chambre.]” HeroValet Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“The generality of men expend the early part of their lives in contributing to render the latter part miserable.” MenMiserableLatterContributingGeneralities Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“Jesting, often, only proves a want of intellect. [Fr., La moquerie est souvent une indigence d'esprit.]” WantProveIntellect Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“We meet With few utterly dull and stupid souls: the sublime and transcendent are still fewer; the generality of mankind stand between these two extremes: the interval is filled with multitudes of ordinary geniuses, but all very useful, and the ornaments and supports of the commonwealth.” StillsTwoSoulSupportMankindStupidGeniusOrdinaryFilledExtremesDullMediocrityFewerMultitudesSublimeTranscendentOrnamentsIntervalsCommonwealthGeneralitiesTwo Extremes Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“I am told so many ill things of a man, and I see so few in him, that I begin to suspect he has a real but troublesome merit, as being likely to eclipse that of others.” MenRealIllMeritSuspectsEclipseTroublesome Author:Jean de la Bruyere
“The favor of princes does not preclude the existence of merit, and yet does not prove that it exists. [Fr., La faveur des princes n'exclut pas le merite, et ne le suppose pas aussi.]” DoeExistenceProveFavorsMerit Author:Jean de la Bruyere