"If on my theme I rightly think, There are five reasons why men drink,-- Good wine, a friend, because I 'm dry, Or lest I should be by and by, Or any other reason why."

Causæ Bibendi.

"Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all."

Retribution. (Sinngedichte.)

"Man-like is it to fall into sin, Fiend-like is it to dwell therein; Christ-like is it for sin to grieve, God-like is it all sin to leave."

Sin. (Sinngedichte.)

"We have all sufficient strength to endure the misfortunes of others."

Maxim 19.

"Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils; but present evils triumph over it."

Maxim 22.

"We need greater virtues to sustain good than evil fortune."

Maxim 25.

"Neither the sun nor death can be looked at with a steady eye."

Maxim 26.

"Interest speaks all sorts of tongues, and plays all sorts of parts, even that of disinterestedness."

Maxim 39.

"We are never so happy or so unhappy as we suppose."

Maxim 49.

"There are few people who would not be ashamed of being loved when they love no longer."

Maxim 71.

"True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen."

Maxim 76.

"The love of justice is simply, in the majority of men, the fear of suffering injustice."

Maxim 78.

"Silence is the best resolve for him who distrusts himself."

Maxim 79.

"Friendship is only a reciprocal conciliation of interests, and an exchange of good offices; it is a species of commerce out of which self-love always expects to gain something."

Maxim 83.

"A man who is ungrateful is often less to blame than his benefactor."

Maxim 96.

"The understanding is always the dupe of the heart."

Maxim 102.

"Nothing is given so profusely as advice."

Maxim 110.

"The true way to be deceived is to think oneself more knowing than others."

Maxim 127.

"Usually we praise only to be praised."

Maxim 146.

"Our repentance is not so much regret for the ill we have done as fear of the ill that may happen to us in consequence."

Maxim 180.

"Most people judge men only by success or by fortune."

Maxim 212.

"Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue."

Maxim 218.

"Too great haste to repay an obligation is a kind of ingratitude."

Maxim 226.

"There is great ability in knowing how to conceal one's ability."

Maxim 245.

"The pleasure of love is in loving. We are happier in the passion we feel than in that we inspire."

Maxim 259.

"We always like those who admire us; we do not always like those whom we admire."

Maxim 294.

"The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits."

Maxim 298.

"Lovers are never tired of each other, though they always speak of themselves."

Maxim 312.

"We pardon in the degree that we love."

Maxim 330.

"We hardly find any persons of good sense save those who agree with us."

Maxim 347.

"The greatest fault of a penetrating wit is to go beyond the mark."

Maxim 377.

"We may give advice, but we cannot inspire the conduct."

Maxim 378.

"The veracity which increases with old age is not far from folly."

Maxim 416.

"In their first passion women love their lovers, in all the others they love love."

Maxim 471.

"Quarrels would not last long if the fault was only on one side."

Maxim 496.

"The opinion of the strongest is always the best."

The Wolf and the Lamb. Book i. Fable 10.

"By the work one knows the workman."

The Hornets and the Bees. Fable 21.

"It is a double pleasure to deceive the deceiver."

The Cock and the Fox. Book ii. Fable 15.

"It is impossible to please all the world and one's father."

Book iii. Fable 1.

"In everything one must consider the end."

The Fox and the Gnat. Fable 5.

""They are too green," he said, "and only good for fools.""

The Fox and the Grapes. Fable 11.

"The fly of the coach."

Book vii. Fable 9.

"The sign brings customers."

The Fortune-Tellers. Fable 15.

"Let ignorance talk as it will, learning has its value."

The Use of Knowledge. Book viii. Fable 19.

"No path of flowers leads to glory."

Book x. Fable 14.

"The world, dear Agnes, is a strange affair."

L'École des Femmes. Act ii. Sc. 6.

"There are fagots and fagots."

Le Médecin malgré lui. Act i. Sc. 6.

"We have changed all that."

Le Médecin malgré lui. Act ii. Sc. 6.

"Although I am a pious man, I am not the less a man."

Le Tartuffe. Act iii. Sc. 3.

"The real Amphitryon is the Amphitryon who gives dinners."

Amphitryon. Act iii. Sc. 5.