French moralist of the era of French Classical literature and author of Maximes and Memoirs
Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.
The sure way to be cheated is to think one's self more cunning than others.
No man is clever enough to know all the evil he does.
The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.
There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do.
It is a great act of cleverness to be able to conceal one's being clever.
The principal point of cleverness is to know how to value things just as they deserve.
All the passions make us commit faults; love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones.
Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others.