self-awareness Quotes

It is the nature of all greatness not to be exact.

The arrogance of age must submit to be taught by youth.

The person who grieves suffers his passion to grow upon him; he indulges it, he loves it; but this never happens in the case of actual pain, which no man ever willingly endured for any considerable time.

Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing.

Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver.

To tax and to please, no more than to love and to be wise, is not given to men.

False happiness renders men stern and proud, and that happiness is never communicated. True happiness renders them kind and sensible, and that happiness is always shared.

If I knew of something that could serve my nation but would ruin another, I would not propose it to my prince, for I am first a man and only then a Frenchman... because I am necessarily a man, and only accidentally am I French.

If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, and that is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.

There is only one thing that can form a bond between men, and that is gratitude... we cannot give someone else greater power over us than we have ourselves.