To say, “You’re angry over such a little thing,” is like saying, “The fire started with just a little match.” It may well be true, but it does nothing to alleviate the present situation.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1961) American technologist, writer, aphorist
Journal (undated)
Quotations about:
minimizing
Note not all quotations have been tagged, so Search may find additional quotes on this topic.
We confess to small faults to create the impression that we have no great ones.
[Nous n’avouons de petits défauts que pour persuader que nous n’en avons pas de grands.]
François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble
Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶327 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]
(Source)
First appeared in the 3rd (1671) edition. See also ¶126.
(Source (French)). Other translations:When we own small Faults, it is with a design to make People believe, we have no great ones.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶327]We confess small faults in order to insinuate that we have no great ones.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶127]We confess small faults, by way of insinuating that we have no great ones.
[ed. Carvill (1835), ¶111]We confess our little faults only to persuade others that we have no great ones.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶337]We own to small faults to persuade others that we have not great ones.
[tr. Bund/Friswell (1871), ¶327]We admit our petty foibles only to disclaim greater faults.
[tr. Heard (1917), ¶334]We will admit our minor defects, but only to persuade others that we have no major ones.
[tr. FitzGibbon (1957), ¶327]We own up to minor failings, but only so as to convince others that we have no major ones.
[tr. Tancock (1959), ¶327]We confess to small faults only for the purpose of persuading others that we do not possess great ones.
[tr. Whichello (2016), ¶327]We admit to lesser faults in order persuade people that we have no greater ones.
[tr. Chandler, ¶327]
