Nicolas Chamfort
Nicolas 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...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth6 April 1741
CountryFrance
character mean men
Nearly all men are slaves for the same reason that the Spartans assigned for the servitude of the Persians -- lack of power to pronounce the syllable, "No." To be able to utter that word and live alone, are the only means to preserve one's freedom and one's character.
time mistake character
Sometimes apparent resemblance of character will bring two men together and for a certain time unite them. But their mistake gradually becomes evident, and they are astonished to find themselves not only far apart, but even repelled, in some sort, at all their points of contact.
character men enjoy
Many men and women enjoy popular esteem, not because they are known, but because they are not known.
french-writer laughed surely
Of all days, the day on which one has not laughed is the one most surely wasted.
failure intelligent energy
A person of intellect without energy added to it, is a failure.
death sleep literature
Living is a sickness to which sleep provides relief every sixteen hours. It's a palliative. The remedy is death.
foolish fools-and-foolishness
There are well-dressed foolish ideas, just as there are will-dressed fools.
appetite composed dinners great society
Society is composed of two great classes those who have more dinners than appetite, and those who have more appetite than dinners.
certain french-writer opinion opinions public worst
There are certain times when public opinion is the worst of all opinions.
age man
Man arrives as a novice at each age of his life.
life oneself watch
The contemplative life is often miserable. One must act more, think less, and not watch oneself live.
days wasted
The most wasted of all days is that on which one has not laughed.
wasted
The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed.
men may literature
Man may aspire to virtue, but he cannot reasonably aspire to truth.