Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Every age has its pleasures, its style of wit, and its own ways.

Every age has its pleasures, its style of wit, and its own ways.

Gold gives an appearance of beauty even to ugliness: but with
poverty everything becomes frightful.
[Fr., L'or meme read more

Gold gives an appearance of beauty even to ugliness: but with
poverty everything becomes frightful.
[Fr., L'or meme a la laideur donne un teint de beaute:
Mais tout devient affreux avec la pauvrete.]

Whatever we conceive well we express clearly, and words flow with
ease.
[Fr., Ce que l'on concoit bien read more

Whatever we conceive well we express clearly, and words flow with
ease.
[Fr., Ce que l'on concoit bien s'enonce clairement,
Et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisement.]

I can call nothing by name if that is not his name. I call a cat
a cat, and read more

I can call nothing by name if that is not his name. I call a cat
a cat, and Rollet a rogue.
[Fr., Je ne puis rien nommer si ce n'est par son nom;
J'appelle un chat un chat, et Rollet un fripon.]

Often the fear on one evil leads us into a worse.
[Fr., Souvent la peur d'un mal nous conduit read more

Often the fear on one evil leads us into a worse.
[Fr., Souvent la peur d'un mal nous conduit dans un pire.]