Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux Quotes & Sayings

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. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Who is content with nothing possesses all things. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

The dreadful burden of having nothing to do. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

A burlesque word is often a powerful sermon. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

When we envy another, we make their virtue our vice. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Ignorance is always ready to admire itself. Procure yourself critical friends. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

To support those of your rights authorized by Heaven, destroy everything rather than yield; that is the spirit of the Church. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

The world is full of fools; and he who would not wish to see one, must not only shut himself up alone, but must also break his looking-glass. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

But satire, ever moral, ever new, Delights the reader and instructs him, too. She, if good sense refine her sterling page, Oft shakes some rooted folly of the age. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

A fop sometimes gives important advice. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Nothing but truth is lovely, nothing fair. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Some excel in rhyme who reason foolishly. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Hasten slowly, and without losing heart, put your work twenty times upon the anvil.
[Fr., Hatez-vous lentement; et, sans perdre courage,
Vingt fois sur le metier remettez votre ouvrage.] — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

If your descent is from heroic sires, Show in your life a remnant of their fires. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

A fool can always find a greater fool who admires him. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

It is the sin which we have not committed which seems the most monstrous. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Of every four words I write, I strike out three. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Every age has its pleasures, its style of wit, and its own ways. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Nature always springs to the surface and manages to show what she is. It is vain to stop or try to drive her back. She breaks through every obstacle, pushes forward, and at last makes for herself a way. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

A fool always finds one still more foolish to admire him.
[Fr., Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l'admire.] — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

The greatest fools are oft the most satisfied. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

In spite of every sage whom Greece can show, Unerring wisdom never dwelt below; Folly in all of every age we see, The only difference lies in the degree. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Who lives content with little possesses everything. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Time flies and draws us with it. The moment in which I am speaking is already far from me. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Truth has not such an urgent air. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Greatest fools are the most often satisfied. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

What is conceived well is expressed clearly. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

A warmed-up dinner was never worth much. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

The wisest man is he who does not fancy that he is so at all. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Though you be sprung in direct line from Hercules, if you show a lowborn meanness, that long succession of ancestors whom you disgrace are so many witnesses against you; and this grand display of their tarnished glory but serves to make your ignominy more evident. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Let a single complete action, in one place and one day, keep the theatre packed to the last. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Gold gives an appearance of beauty even to ugliness: but with poverty everything becomes frightful. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Virtue alone is the unerring sign of a noble soul. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Now two punctilious envoys, Thine and Mine Embroil the earth about a fancied line; And, dwelling much on right and much on wrong, Prove how the right is chiefly with the strong. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Sometimes a fool makes a good suggestion. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Bring your work back to the workshop twenty times. Polish it continuously, and polish it again. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

The wisest man is generally he who thinks himself the least so. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Happy the poet who with ease can steer
From grave to gay, from lively to severe.
[Lat., Heureux qui, dans ses vers, sait d'une voix legere
Passer du grave au doux, du plaisant au severe.] — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

It is in vain a daring author thinks of attaining to the heights of Parnassus if he does not feel the secret influence of heaven and if his natal star has not formed him to be a poet. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Often the fear on one evil leads us into a worse. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Gold lends a touch of beauty even to the ugly. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

A proud bigot, who is vain enough to think that he can deceive even God by affected zeal, and throwing the veil of holiness over vices, damns all mankind by the word of his power. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

That which is repeated too often becomes insipid and tedious. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Something of calumny always sticks. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Nothing is really beautiful but truth, and truth alone is lovely. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Of all the creatures that creep, swim, or fly, Peopling the earth, the waters, and the sky, From Rome to Iceland, Paris to Japan, I really think the greatest fool is man. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

No one who cannot limit himself has ever been able to write. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

He who cannot limit himself will never know how to write. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Whate'er is well conceived is clearly said, And the words to say it flow with ease. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Honor is like an island, rugged and without a beach; once we have left it, we can never return. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Everything that poverty touches becomes frightful. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

He [Moliere] pleases all the world, but can- not please himself. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Happy who in his verse can gently steer From grave to light, from pleasant to severe. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Attach yourself to those who advise you rather than praise you. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Whatever we well understand we express clearly, and words flow with ease. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

All men are fools, and with every effort they differ only in the degree. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Praising an honest person who doesn't deserve it, always wounds them. — Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux