Men don’t so much blush for their Crimes, as for their Weaknesses and Vanity.

[Les hommes rougissent moins de leurs crimes que de leurs faiblesses et de leur vanité.]

Jean de La Bruyere
Jean de La Bruyère (1645-1696) French essayist, moralist
The Characters [Les Caractères], ch. 4 “Of the Heart [Du Coeur],” § 74 (4.74) (1688) [Bullord ed. (1696)]
    (Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

Men blush not so much for their Crimes, as for their Weaknesses and Vanity.
[Curll ed. (1713)]

Men don't so much blush for their Crimes, as for their Weaknesses and Vanity.
[Browne ed. (1752)]

Men are less ashamed of their crimes than of their weaknesses and their vanity.
[tr. Van Laun (1885)]

Men are less ashamed of their crimes than of their failings and of what touches their vanity.
[tr. Stewart (1970)]


 
Added on 1-Feb-04 | Last updated 25-Apr-23
Link to this post | No comments
Topics: , , , , , , ,
More quotes by La Bruyere, Jean de

Thoughts? Comments? Corrections? Feedback?