FRANCOIS RABELAIS

There is no truer cause of unhappiness amongst men than, where naturally expecting charity and benevolence, they receive harm and vexation.

The farce is finished. I go to seek a vast perhaps.

I place no hope in my strength, nor in my works: but all my confidence is in God my protector, who never abandons those who have put all their hope and thought in him.

How shall I be able to rule over others, that have not full power and command of myself?

A bellyful is a bellyful.

How can I govern others, who can't even govern myself?

It is better to write of laughter than of tears, for laughter is the property of man.

We always long for the forbidden things, and desire what is denied us.

I have known many who could not when they would, for they had not done it when they could.

Remove idleness from the world and soon the arts of Cupid would perish.

It is my feeling that Time ripens all things; with Time all things are revealed; Time is the father of truth.

For he who can wait, everything comes in time.

Nature abhors a vacuum.

The remedy for thirst? It is the opposite of the one for a dog bite: run always after a dog, he'll never bite you; drink always before thirst, and it will never overtake you.

In their rules there was only one clause: Do what you will.

I drink no more than a sponge.

If you wish to avoid seeing a fool you must first break your looking glass.

Tell the truth and shame the devil.

From the gut comes the strut, and where hunger reigns, strength abstains.

Debts and lies are generally mixed together.

There are more old drunkards than old physicians.

Science without conscience is the death of the soul.

No clock is more regular than the belly.

Half the world does not know how the other half lives.

Because just as arms have no force outside if there is no counsel within a house, study is vain and counsel useless that is not put to virtuous effect when the time calls.