Luc de Clapiers Quotes - Page 3

Jealousy is the paralysis of love.

Nothing but courage can guide life.

One can not be just if one is not humane.

Some of us would be greatly astonished to learn the reasons why others respect us.

Activity makes more men's fortunes than cautiousness.

If children had teachers for judgment and eloquence just as they have for languages, if their memory was exercised less than their energy or their natural genius, if instead of deadening their vivacity of mind we tried to elevate the free scope and impulse of their souls, what might not result from a fine disposition? As it is, we forget that courage, or love of truth and glory are the virtues that matter most in youth; and our one endeavour is to subdue our children's spirits, in order to teach them that dependence and suppleness are the first laws of success in life.

Our errors and our controversies, in the sphere of morality, arise sometimes from looking on men as though they could be altogether bad, or altogether good.

Habit is everything, even in love.

The usual pretext of those who make others unhappy is that they do it for their own good.

The best things are the most common.

We are dismayed when we find that even disaster cannot cure us of our faults.

Everyone is born sincere and dies deceivers.

The idle always have a mind to do something.

Some are born to invent, others to embellish; but the gilder attracts more attention than the architect.

If passion sometimes counsels greater boldness than does reflection, it gives more strength to execute it.

If anyone accuses me of contradicting myself, I shall reply; I have been wrong once or more often, however I do not aspire to be always wrong.

Our opinion of others is not so variable as our opinion of ourselves.

In a way, the main fault of all books is that they are too long.

Whatever affection we have for our friends or relations, the happiness of others never suffices for our own.

We are very wrong to think that some fault or other can exclude virtue, or to consider the alliance of good and evil as a monstrosity or an enigma.

When a thought is too weak to be expressed simply, it should be rejected.

We are so presumptuous that we think we can separate our personal interest from that of humanity, and slander mankind without compromising ourselves.

The lazy are always wanting to do something.

We are almost always guilty of the hate we encounter.

Hope deceives more men than cunning does.