To execute great things, one should live as though one would never die.

- Luc de Clapiers

Prosperity makes few friends.

- Luc de Clapiers

The fruit derived from labor is the sweetest of pleasures.

- Luc de Clapiers

The maxims of men reveal their characters.

- Luc de Clapiers

Vice stirs up war, virtue fights.

- Luc de Clapiers

We should expect the best and the worst of mankind, as from the weather.

- Luc de Clapiers

Wicked people are always surprised to find ability in those that are good.

- Luc de Clapiers

It is difficult to esteem a man as highly as he would wish.

- Luc de Clapiers

The greatest evil which fortune can inflict on men is to endow them with small talents and great ambition.

- Luc de Clapiers

The idle always have a mind to do something.

- Luc de Clapiers

If people did not compliment one another there would be little society.

- Luc de Clapiers

You are not born for fame if you don't know the value of time.

- Luc de Clapiers

You must rouse into people's consciousness their own prudence and strength, if you want to raise their character.

- Luc de Clapiers

Men sometimes feel injured by praise because it assigns a limit to their merit; few people are modest enough not to take offense that one appreciates them.

- Luc de Clapiers

Everyone is born sincere and die deceivers.

- Luc de Clapiers

The conscience of the dying belies their life.

- Luc de Clapiers

The fool is like those people who think themselves rich with little.

- Luc de Clapiers

The law cannot equalize mankind in spite of nature.

- Luc de Clapiers

There is nothing that fear and hope does not permit men to do.

- Luc de Clapiers

To possess taste, one must have some soul.

- Luc de Clapiers