It is very rare to find ground which produces nothing; if it is not covered with flowers, with fruit trees and grains, it produces briers and pines. It is the same with man; if he is not virtuous, he becomes vicious. Jean de la Bruyere More Quotes by Jean de la Bruyere More Quotes From Jean de la Bruyere To endeavor to forget anyone is a certain way of thinking of nothing else. Jean de la Bruyere forget way thinking The very impossibility which I find to prove that God is not, discovers to me his existence. Jean de la Bruyere impossibility existence prove Life is a kind of sleep: old men sleep longest, nor begin to wake but when they are to die. Jean de la Bruyere sleep men life It is the glory and merit of some men to write well and of others not to write at all. Jean de la Bruyere merit writing men A guilty man is punished as an example for the mob; an innocent man convicted is the business of every honest citizen. Jean de la Bruyere innocent-man example men A wise man is not governed by others, nor does he try to govern them; he prefers that reason alone prevail. Jean de la Bruyere wise trying men People reveal their character even in the simplest things they do. Fools do not enter a room, nor leave it, nor sit down, nor rise, nor are they silent, nor do they stand up, like people of sense and understanding. Jean de la Bruyere understanding character people There are three great events in our lives: birth, life and death. Of birth we have no conscience; with death, we suffer; and, concerning life, we forget to live it. Jean de la Bruyere birth-life-and-death events suffering False modesty is the refinement of vanity. It is a lie. Jean de la Bruyere modesty vanity lying Envy and hatred go together. Mutually strengthened by the fact pursue the same object. Jean de la Bruyere envy hatred together We must confess that at present the rich predominate, but the future will be for the virtuous and ingenious. Jean de la Bruyere ingenious virtuous rich Make me chaste and To what excesses will men not go for the sake of a religion in which they believe so little and which they practice so imperfectly! Jean de la Bruyere god men believe There are certain people who so ardently and passionately desire a thing, that from dread of losing it they leave nothing undone to make them lose it. Jean de la Bruyere losing desire people A man has made great progress in cunning when he does not seem too clever to others. Jean de la Bruyere clever men lying The very essence of politeness seems to be to take care that by our words and actions we make other people pleased with us as well as with themselves. Jean de la Bruyere our-words essence people There is nothing which continues longer than a moderate fortune; nothing of which one sees sooner the end than a large fortune. Jean de la Bruyere moderates ends fortune It is virtue which should determine us in the choice of our friends, without inquiring into their good or evil fortune. Jean de la Bruyere friends choices evil Men make the best friends. Jean de la Bruyere friends men A man who knows the court is master of his gestures, of his eyes and of his face; he is profound, impenetratable; he dissimulates bad offices, smiles at his enemies, controls his irritation, disguises his passions, belies his heartm speaks and acts against his feelings. Jean de la Bruyere passion eye men Politeness makes one appear outwardly as they should be within. Jean de la Bruyere politeness should manners
