ANTOINE RIVAROL

To lose one's self in reverie, one must be either very happy, or very unhappy. Reverie is the child of extremes.

Ideas are a capital that bears interest only in the hands of talent.

Man spends his life in reasoning on the past, in complaining of the present, in fearing future.

Oblivion is the rule and fame the exception, of humanity.

It is, no doubt, an immense advantage to have done nothing, but one should not abuse it.

Speech is external thought, and thought internal speech.

Memory always obeys the commands of the heart.

Gold like the sun, which melts wax, but hardens clay, expands great souls.

Of every ten persons who talk about you, nine will say something bad, and the tenth will say something good in a bad way.

Reason is the historian, but passions are the actors.

It is the dim haze of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit.

The only thing wealth does for some people is to make them worry about losing it.

Generally speaking, there is more wit than talent in the world. Society swarms with witty people who lack talent.

Vices are often habits rather than passions.

That which happens to the soil when it ceases to be cultivated by the social man happens to man himself when he foolishly forsakes society for solitude; the brambles grow up in his desert heart.

The most civilized people are as near to barbarism as the most polished steel is to rust. Nations, like metals, have only a superficial brilliancy.

The personal pronoun "I" should be the coat of arms of some individuals.

The mischief of children is seldom actuated by malice; that of grown-up people always is.

Familiarity is the root of the closest friendships, as well as the interests hatreds.

It has been very truly said that the mob has many heads, but no brains.

Very nice couplet, although there are dull stretches.

The methods that help a man acquire a fortune are the very ones that keep him from enjoying it.

It is not he who searches for praise who finds it.

There is nothing so unready as readiness of wit.

It is said that friendship between women is only a suspension of hostilities.