This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
All women seem by nature to be coquettes.
Self-love increases or diminishes for us the good qualities of our friends, in proportion to the satisfaction we feel with them; and we judge of their merit by the manner in which they act towards us.
People |
We are easily comforted for the misfortunes of our friends, when those misfortunes give us an occasion of expressing our affection and solicitude.
Some persons of weak understanding are so sensible of that weakness, as to be able to make a good use of it.
People |
The generality of friends puts us out of conceit with friendship; just as the generality of religious people puts us out of conceit with religion.
Mind |
It is not expedient or wise to examine our friends too closely; few persons are raised in our esteem by a close examination.
Enough |
Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of.
The happiness or unhappiness of men depends no less upon their dispositions than their fortunes.
Men | Mind | Unhappiness | Happiness |
We have more strength than will; and it is often merely for an excuse we say things are impossible.
We love everything on our own account; we even follow our own taste and inclination when we prefer our friends to ourselves; and yet it is this preference alone that constitutes true and perfect friendship.
If I advance, follow me! If I retreat, kill me! If I die, avenge me!
Mind |
The accent of one's birthplace remains in the mind and in the heart as in one's speech.
Mind |
If you cannot find peace in yourself, it is useless to look for it elsewhere.
The refusal of praise is only the wish to be praised twice.
Conversation | People | Reason | Thinking |
We have no patience with other people's vanity because it is offensive to our own.
The accent of a man's native country remains in his mind and his heart, as it does in his speech.
It is given to few persons to keep this secret well. Those who lay down rules too often break them, and the safest we are able to give is to listen much, to speak little, and to say nothing that that will ever give ground or regret.
It is more shameful to distrust one's friends than to be deceived by them
Wise |
The moderation of fortunate people comes from the calm which good fortune gives to their tempers.