Someone described Providence as the baptismal name of chance; no doubt some pious person will retort that chance is the nickname of Providence. Nicolas Chamfort More Quotes by Nicolas Chamfort More Quotes From Nicolas Chamfort Though we best know and cannot deny our imperfections, it is not for us to lose our self-reliance and true manhood. Nicolas Chamfort imperfection deny self Knowledge is boundless,--human capacity, limited. Nicolas Chamfort humans capacity knowledge Anticipation leads the way to victory, and is the spur to conquest. Nicolas Chamfort spurs victory way Women see faults much more readily in each other than they can discover perfections. Nicolas Chamfort rivalry faults perfection Many men and women enjoy popular esteem, not because they are known, but because they are not known. Nicolas Chamfort enjoy character men Contemptuous people are sure to be contemptible. Nicolas Chamfort contemptuous contempt people Society would be a charming affair if we were only interested in one another. Nicolas Chamfort charming affair would-be A lover is a man who tries to be more amiable than it is possible for him to be. Nicolas Chamfort trying love men The sunset glow of self-possession. Nicolas Chamfort sunset possession self Calumny is like the wasp which worries you, and which it is not best to try to get rid of unless you are sure of slaying it; for otherwise it returns to the charge more furious than ever. Nicolas Chamfort calumny-is worry trying Men whose only concern is other people's opinion of them are like actors who put on a poor performance to win the applause of people of poor taste; some of them would be capable of good acting in front of a good audience. A decent man plays his part to the best of his ability, regardless of the taste of the gallery. Nicolas Chamfort winning play men The poor are the blacks of Europe. Nicolas Chamfort poor europe What one knows best is ... what one has learned not from books but as a result of books, through the reflections to which they have given rise. Nicolas Chamfort results reflection book In great matters, men behave as they are expected to; in little ones, as they would naturally Nicolas Chamfort matter littles men Satire is the disease of art. Nicolas Chamfort satire disease art Almost the whole of history is but a sequence of horrors. Nicolas Chamfort horror whole history An author is often obscure to the reader because they proceed from the thought to expression than like the reader from the expression to the thought. Nicolas Chamfort expression writing art Education must have two foundations --morality as a support for virtue, prudence as a defense for self against the vices of others. By letting the balance incline to the side of morality, you only make dupes or martyrs; by letting it incline to the other, you make calculating egoists. Nicolas Chamfort self education two We justly consider women to be weaker than ourselves, and yet we are governed by them. Nicolas Chamfort weakness Woman's weakness, not man's merit, oftenest gains the suitor's victory. Nicolas Chamfort victory weakness men
