The great gift of conversation lies less in displaying it ourselves than in drawing it out of others. He who leaves your company pleased with himself and his own cleverness is perfectly well pleased with you. – Jean de la Bruyere
Avoid lawsuits beyond all things; they pervert your conscience, impair your health, and dissipate your property. – Jean de la Bruyere
A vain man finds it wise to speak good or ill of himself; a modest man does not talk of himself. – Jean de la Bruyere
No man is so perfect, so necessary to his friends, as to give them no cause to miss him less. – Jean de la Bruyere
There is no road too long to the man who advances deliberately and without undue haste; there are no honors too distant to the man who prepares himself for them with patience. – Jean de la Bruyere
Children have neither a past nor a future. Thus they enjoy the present, which seldom happens to us. – Jean de la Bruyere
It is fortunate to be of high birth, but it is no less so to be of such character that people do not care to know whether you are or are not. – Jean de la Bruyere
I would not like to see a person who is sober, moderate, chaste and just say that there is no God. They would speak disinterestedly at least, but such a person is not to be found. – Jean de la Bruyere
If some persons died, and others did not die, death would be a terrible affliction. – Jean de la Bruyere
A slave has but one master; an ambitious man has as many masters as there are people who may be useful in bettering his position. – Jean de la Bruyere
Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness. – Jean de la Bruyere
When a book raises your spirit, and inspires you with noble and manly thoughts, seek for no other test of its excellence. It is good, and made by a good workman. – Jean de la Bruyere
There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking. – Jean de la Bruyere
We should keep silent about those in power; to speak well of them almost implies flattery; to speak ill of them while they are alive is dangerous, and when they are dead is cowardly. – Jean de la Bruyere
Even the best intentioned of great men need a few scoundrels around them; there are some things you cannot ask an honest man to do. – Jean de la Bruyere
The slave has but one master, the ambitious man has as many as there are persons whose aid may contribute to the advancement of his fortunes. – Jean de la Bruyere
The court is like a palace of marble; it’s composed of people very hard and very polished. – Jean de la Bruyere
Making a book is a craft, like making a clock; it needs more than native wit to be an author. – Jean de la Bruyere
