Both as to high and low indifferently, men are prepossessed, charmed, fascinated by success; successful crimes are praised very much like virtue itself, and good fortune is not far from occupying the place of the whole cycle of virtues. It must be an atrocious act, a base and hateful deed, which success would not be able to justify.
Jean de la BruyereThe same common sense which makes an author write good things, makes him dread they are not good enough to deserve reading.
Jean de la BruyereFavor exalts a man above his equals, but his dismissal from that favor places him below them.
Jean de la Bruyere