Stanislaus Leszczynski Quotes

was twice King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and at various times Prince of Deux-Ponts, Duke of Bar and Duke of Lorraine

To be vain of one's rank or place is to show that one is below it. The strong desire for success is the best indication that you can achieve success. He who fears death dies every time he thinks of it. In all sorts of government man is made to believe himself free, and to be in chains. Misers are very kind people: they amass wealth for those who wish their death. It is having in some measure a sort of wit to know how to use the wit of others. Is it not astonishing that the love of repose keeps us in continual agitation? When the truth offends no one it should come from our lips as naturally as the air we breathe. The instability of our tastes is the occasion of the irregularity of our lives. It is hardly possible to suspect another without having in one's self the seeds of baseness the party is accused of. The earliest desire of succeeding is almost always a prognostic of success. I believe, indeed, that it is more laudable to suffer great misfortunes than to do great things. We rise to fortune by successive steps; we descend by only one. There are few persons of greater worth than their reputation; but how many are there whose worth is far short of their reputation! The Word of God proves the truth of religion; the corruption of man, its necessity; government, its advantages. Nothing but religion is capable of changing pains into pleasures. None are rash when they are not seen by anybody. Politeness has been defined to be artificial good-nature; but we may affirm, with much greater propriety, that good-nature is natural politeness. 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. There are few defects in our nature so glaring as not to be veiled from observation by politeness and good-breeding. Genius speaks only to genius. Gaiety is the soul's health; sadness is its poison. I know no real worth but that tranquil firmness which seeks dangers by duty, and braves them without rashness. Those who ought to be secure from calumny are generally those who avoid it least. How many persons fancy they have experience simply because they have grown old! Affectation discovers sooner what one is than it makes known what one would fain appear to be. Can princes born in palaces be sensible of the misery of those who dwell in cottages? Religion has nothing more to fear than not being sufficiently understood. Reason shows us our duty; he who can make us love our duty is more powerful than reason itself. To make good use of life, one should have in youth the experience of advanced years, and in old age the vigor of youth.

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