James Wood, comp. Dictionary of Quotations. 1899.
Vauvenargues
A new principle is an inexhaustible source of new views.
All men are born sincere and die deceivers.
Celui qui a grand sens sait beaucoup—A man of large intelligence knows a great deal.
Excessive distrust is not less hurtful than its opposite. Most men become useless to him who is unwilling to risk being deceived.
Glory fills the world with virtue, and, like a beneficent sun, covers the whole earth with flowers and fruits.
Great men essay enterprises because they think them great, and fools because they think them easy.
Great thoughts come from the heart.
Hatred is keener than friendship, less keen than love.
If people did not flatter one another, there would be little society.
Il est bon d’être ferme par tempérament et flexible par réflexion—It is good to be firm by temperament and pliable by reflexion.
Il n’y a peut-être point de vérité qui ne soit à quelque esprit faux matière d’erreur—There is, perhaps, no truth that is not to some false minds matter of error.
Il n’y a rien que la crainte et l’espérance ne persuadent aux hommes—There is nothing that fear and hope does not persuade men to do.
In order to do great things, it is necessary to live as if one were never to die.
Indolence is the sleep of the mind.
It is easy to criticise an author, but it is difficult to appreciate him.
La loi ne saurait égaliser les hommes malgré la nature—The law cannot equalise men in spite of nature.
La modération des faibles est médiocrité—The moderation of the weak is mediocrity.
La patience est l’art d’espérer—Patience is the art of hoping.
La prospérité fait peu d’amis—Prosperity makes few friends.
Le désespoir comble non seulement notre misère, mais notre faiblesse—Despair gives the finishing blow not only to misery, but to weakness.
Les méchants sont toujours surpris de trouver de l’habilité dans les bons—Wicked men are always surprised to discover ability in good men.
Les maximes des hommes décèlent leur cœur—Men show what they are by their maxims.
Lorsqu’une pensée est trop faible pour porter une expression simple, c’est la marque pour la rejeter—When a thought is too weak to bear a simple expression, it is a sign that it deserves rejection.
Magnanimity owes to prudence no account of its motives.
Nature knows no equality; her sovereign law is subordination and dependence.
Of all pleasures, the fruit of labour is the sweetest.
On peut dominer par la force, mais jamais par la seule adresse—We may lord it by force, but never by adroitness alone.
One of the noblest qualities in our nature is that we are able so easily to dispense with greater perfection.
Our virtues are dearer to us the more we have had to suffer for them. It is the same with our children. All profound affection admits a sacrifice.
Patience is the art of hoping.
Persevere in the fight, struggle on, do not let go, think magnanimously of man and life, for man is good and life is affluent and fruitful.
Perspicuity is the offset of profound thoughts.
Pour avoir du goût, il faut avoir de l’âme—To have taste, one must have some soul.
Qui sait tout souffrir peut tout oser—He who can bear all can dare all.
The art of pleasing is the art of deceiving.
The first days of spring have less grace than the growing virtue of a young man.
The idle always have a mind to do something.
The law cannot equalise men in spite of nature.
To achieve great things a man must so live as if he had never to die.
We are able easily to dispense with greater perfection.
We cannot be just if we are not humane.
We often quarrel with the unfortunate to get rid of pitying them.
When a thought is too weak to be simply expressed, it is a clear proof that it should be rejected.
Whoever has seen the masked at a ball dance amicably together, and take hold of hands without knowing each other, leaving the next moment to meet no more, can form an idea of the world.
You must rouse in men a consciousness of their own prudence and strength, if you would raise their character.