Chamfort
Chamfort
Sébastien-Roch Nicolas, also known as Chamfort, was a French writer, best known for his witty epigrams and aphorisms. He was secretary to Louis XVI's sister, and of the Jacobin club...
absurdity subjects
In love, everything is true, everything is false; it is the one subject on which one cannot express an absurdity.
women shadow like-you
A woman is like your shadow; follow her, she flies; fly from her, she follows.
winning men play
Men whose only concern is other people's opinion of them are like actors who put on a poor performance to win the applause of people of poor taste; some of them would be capable of good acting in front of a good audience. A decent man plays his part to the best of his ability, regardless of the taste of the gallery.
men saving he-man
[Prudence] replaces [strength] by saving the man who has the misfortune of not possessing it from most occasions when it's needed.
flames smoke
Marriage follows on love as smoke on flame.
cities benefactors citadels
Most benefactors are like unskillful generals who take the city and leave the citadel intact.
heart people littles
People are governed by the head; a kind heart is of little value in chess.
giving morality injury
To enjoy and give enjoyment, without injury to yourself or others; this is true morality.
spices courtship discord
A modicum of discord is the very spice of courtship.
running house should
Running a house should be left to innkeepers.
understanding scratches said
We must start human society from scratch; as Francis Bacon said, we must recreate human understanding.
ideas numbers mediocrity
A good number of works owe their success to the mediocrity of their authors' ideas, which match the mediocrity of those of the general public.
success making-money
Success makes success, like money makes money.
lonely hate loneliness
It is said of a lonely man that he does not appreciate the life of society. This is like saying he hates hiking because he dislikes walking in thick forest on a dark night.