Nicolas Boileau
Nicolas Boileau
Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux, often known simply as Boileau, was a French poet and critic...
practice twenties polish
Bring your work back to the workshop twenty times. Polish it continuously, and polish it again.
all-things
Who is content with nothing possesses all things.
sticks calumny
Something of calumny always sticks.
men effort fool
All men are fools, and with every effort they differ only in the degree.
stupidity fool bigger
However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him.
writing editing four
Of every four words I write, I strike out three.
powerful burlesque sermons
A burlesque word is often a powerful sermon.
fool admire greater
A fool can always find a greater fool who admires him.
time moments draws
Time flies and draws us with it. The moment in which I am speaking is already far from me.
flow oratory ease
Whatever we conceive well we express clearly, and words flow with ease. [Fr., Ce que l'on concoit bien s'enonce clairement, Et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisement.]
trust truth may
At times truth may not seem probable.
flow ease said
Whate'er is well conceived is clearly said, And the words to say it flow with ease.
men animal air
Of all the animals which fly in the air, walk on the land, or swim in the sea, from Paris to Peru, from Japan to Rome, the most foolish animal in my opinion is man.
truth may seems
At times truth may not seem probable. [Fr., Le vrai peut quelquefois n'etre pas vraisemblable.]