The maxims of men reveal their characters. Luc de Clapiers More Quotes by Luc de Clapiers More Quotes From Luc de Clapiers Lazy people are always anxious to be doing something. Luc de Clapiers lazy-peopleanxiouslaziness Every thought is new when an author expresses it in a manner peculiar to himself. Luc de Clapiers peculiar The usual pretext of those who make others unhappy is that they do it for their own good. Luc de Clapiers sadusualunhappy We are not greatly pleased that our friends should respect our good qualities if they venture to perceive our faults. Luc de Clapiers venturefaultsquality Necessity embitters the evils which it cannot cure. Luc de Clapiers curesevil Our actions are neither so good nor so evil as our impulses. Luc de Clapiers our-actionsgoodnessevil Constancy is the chimera of love. Luc de Clapiers constancychimera Indolence is the sleep of the mind. Luc de Clapiers indolencemindsleep If people did not compliment one another there would be little society. Luc de Clapiers would-beappreciationpeople I do not approve the maxim which desires a man to know a little of everything. Superficial knowledge, knowledge without principles, is almost always useless and sometimes harmful knowledge. Luc de Clapiers desiremenknowledge Some are born to invent, others to embellish; but the gilder attracts more attention than the architect. Luc de Clapiers architectbornattention When an idea is not robust enough to stand expression in simple terms, it is a sign that it should be rejected. Luc de Clapiers simpleexpressionideas The law cannot equalize mankind in spite of nature. Luc de Clapiers spitenaturelaw We are so presumptuous that we think we can separate our personal interest from that of humanity, and slander mankind without compromising ourselves. Luc de Clapiers compromisehumanitythinking We are dismayed when we find that even disaster cannot cure us of our faults. Luc de Clapiers disastercuresfaults Servitude debases men to the point where they end up liking it. Luc de Clapiers servitudeendsmen Jealousy is the paralysis of love. Luc de Clapiers paralysisjealousy It is of no use to possess a lively wit if it is not of the right proportion: the perfection of a clock is not to go fast, but to be accurate. Luc de Clapiers clockuseperfection If our friends do us a service, we think they owe it to us by their title of friend. We never think that they do not owe us their friendship. Luc de Clapiers titlesifsthinking Mediocre men sometimes fear great office, and when they do not aim at it, or when they refuse it, all that is to be concluded is that they are aware of their mediocrity. Luc de Clapiers mediocrityofficemen
