Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 101 (1647) [tr. Fischer (1937)]

Dave — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:24:43 +0000

There is no weakness without its admirer, so be not discomfited because your ways displease some, for they will not fail to be pleasing to others: nor let their approval of them make you vain, for still others will condemn them.

[No hay defecto sin afecto, ni se ha de desconfiar porque no agraden las cosas a algunos, que no faltarán otros que las aprecien; ni aun el aplauso de estos le sea materia al desvanecimiento, que otros lo condenarán.]

Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601-1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 101 (1647) [tr. Fischer (1937)]
(Source)

(Source (Spanish)). Alternate translations:

There is no fault without an adherent, and thou oughtest not to be discouraged, if what thou doest, pleases not some, seeing there will always be others who will value it. But be not proud of the approbation of these, since you will be still exposed to the censure of others.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]

There is no fault which has not some one enamoured of it, nor must we lose courage if what we do does not please some, for there are sure to be others who will value it; and yet we should not be made vain by their applause, for there are equally sure to be again others who will wholly disapprove.
[tr. Duff (1877)]

There is no defect which is not affected by some, nor need we lose heart if things please not some, for others will appreciate them. Nor need their applause turn our head, for there will surely be others to condemn.
[tr. Jacobs (1892)]

There is no defect that someone does not value, and you need not lower your opinion because a thing doesn't please some people: there will be others to appreciate it, and their applause, in turn, will be condemned.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]

Montaigne, Michel de -- The Autobiography of Michel de Montaigne, ch. 34 [ed. Marven Lowenthal (1935)]

Dave — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 13:25:50 +0000

The man who makes it his business to please the multitude is never done.

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
The Autobiography of Michel de Montaigne, ch. 34 [ed. Marven Lowenthal (1935)]
(Source)

Lowenthal created an "autobiography" from the wide array of first-person statements, experiences, and observations made by Montaigne across his essays, letters, etc. I have been unable to find from where this particular statement is translated or interpolated.

WIST Quotations

Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 101 (1647) [tr. Fischer (1937)]

Montaigne, Michel de -- The Autobiography of Michel de Montaigne, ch. 34 [ed. Marven Lowenthal (1935)]