Stanisław I Leszczyński Quotes

He who fears death dies every time he thinks of it.

Genius speaks only to genius.

Gaiety is the soul's health; sadness is its poison.

In all sorts of government man is made to believe himself free, and to be in chains.

Religion has nothing more to fear than not being sufficiently understood.

Conscience warns us as a friend before it punishes us as a judge.

There are few defects in our nature so glaring as not to be veiled from observation by politeness and good-breeding.

None are rash when they are not seen by anybody.

A well-read fool is the most pestilent of blockheads; his learning is a flail which he knows not how to handle, and with which he breaks his neighbor's shins as well as his own. Keep a fellow of this description at arm's length, as you value the integrity of your bones.

Esteem has more engaging charms than friendship, or even love. It captivates hearts better, and never makes ings.

The earliest desire of succeeding is almost always a prognostic of success.

I know no real worth but that tranquil firmness which seeks dangers by duty, and braves them without rashness.

Affectation discovers sooner what one is than it makes known what one would fain appear to be.

There are few persons of greater worth than their reputation; but how many are there whose worth is far short of their reputation!

The strong desire for success is the best indication that you can achieve success.

Reason shows us our duty; he who can make us love our duty is more powerful than reason itself.

Misers are very kind people: they amass wealth for those who wish their death.

To make good use of life, one should have in youth the experience of advanced years, and in old age the vigor of youth.

The Word of God proves the truth of religion; the corruption of man, its necessity; government, its advantages.

Is it not astonishing that the love of repose keeps us in continual agitation?

We rise to fortune by successive steps; we descend by only one.

To believe with certainty, we must begin with doubting.

To be vain of one's rank or place is to show that one is below it.

Politeness has been defined to be artificial good-nature; but we may affirm, with much greater propriety, that good-nature is natural politeness.

How many persons fancy they have experience simply because they have grown old!

When the truth offends no one it should come from our lips as naturally as the air we breathe.

I believe, indeed, that it is more laudable to suffer great misfortunes than to do great things.

Some like to understand what they believe in. Others like to believe in what they understand.

Science when well-digested is nothing but good sense and reason.

Where religion speaks, reason has only a right to hear.

It is having in some measure a sort of wit to know how to use the wit of others.

Have the courage to face a difficulty lest it kick you harder than you bargain for.

It is hardly possible to suspect another without having in one's self the seeds of baseness the party is accused of.

Can princes born in palaces be sensible of the misery of those who dwell in cottages?

Nothing but religion is capable of changing pains into pleasures.

We are usually mistaken in esteeming men too much; rarely in esteeming them too little.

The instability of our tastes is the occasion of the irregularity of our lives.

Those who ought to be secure from calumny are generally those who avoid it least.