It is a sad thing when men have neither enough intelligence to speak w…

Jean de la Bruyere
124 citations
It is a sad thing when men have neither enough intelligence to speak well nor enough sense to hold their tongues; this is the root of all impertinence. ✨ Of Society and of Conversation. The Characters of Jean de La Bruyère, newly rendered into English by Henri Van Laun, www.bartleby.com. 1885.
Humanity Sadness
30

More Author Quotes

That man is good who does good to others; if he suffers on account of the good he does, he is very good; if he suffers at the hands of those to whom he has done good, then his goodness is so great th … ▶
As a man falls out of favour and his wealth declines, we discover for the first time the ridiculous aspects of his character, which were always there but which wealth and favour had concealed. ✨ Of W … ▶
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 … ▶
Every man is valued in this world as he shows by his conduct that he wishes to be valued.
Discourtesy does not spring merely from one bad quality, but from several--from foolish vanity, from ignorance of what is due to others, from indolence, from stupidity, from distraction of thought, f … ▶

It is a sad thing when men have neither enough intelligence to speak well nor enough sense to hold their tongues; this is the root of all impertinence. ✨ Of Society and of Conversation. The Characters of Jean de La Bruyère, newly rendered into English by Henri Van Laun, www.bartleby.com. 1885.

More Author Quotes

Most Cited Authors

The Best Quotes

Most Liked Authors

Curated Author Quotes