Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Happy the poet who with ease can steer
From grave to gay, from lively to severe.
[Lat., read more

Happy the poet who with ease can steer
From grave to gay, from lively to severe.
[Lat., Heureux qui, dans ses vers, sait d'une voix legere
Passer du grave au doux, du plaisant au severe.]

No one is satisfied with his fortune, nor dissatisfied with his
intellect.
[Fr., Nul n'est content de sa read more

No one is satisfied with his fortune, nor dissatisfied with his
intellect.
[Fr., Nul n'est content de sa fortune;
Ni mecontent de son esprit.]

A fool always finds one still more foolish to admire him.
[Fr., Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot read more

A fool always finds one still more foolish to admire him.
[Fr., Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l'admire.]

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.]

At times truth may not seem probable.
[Fr., Le vrai peut quelquefois n'etre pas vraisemblable.]

At times truth may not seem probable.
[Fr., Le vrai peut quelquefois n'etre pas vraisemblable.]