Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac quotes

Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac was a French author and essayist, renowned as one of the founders of French classical prose. His letters and writings greatly influenced the style and language of 17th-century French literature. He is recognized for perfecting epistolary writing and elevating French prose to new heights. Here are 8 of his quotes:

Nothing so closely approaches a grand style as turgid nonsense: the ridiculous is one of the extremes of the subtle.

Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac

Public utility is often served by the injury of individuals.

Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac

Poison cures in certain contingencies, and in those cases poison is not an evil thing.

Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac

No one is bound to be clever, but every one is under an obligation to be good.

Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac

Solitude is certainly a fine thing; but there is pleasure in having someone who can answer, from time to time, that it is a fine thing.

Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac

There are no children of whom we are fonder than those that are born of our brains, to whom we are father and mother in one.

Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac

A little wit and plenty of authority, that is what has almost always governed the world.

Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac