Selections from the Philosophes
March 26, 2011 3:48 PM Subscribe
"Maxims and axioms are, just like summaries, the work that spirited people do, it seems, for the use of mediocre or lazy spirits." Presenting maxims, axioms and more from the Philosophes: Vauvenargues! Chamfort! Fontenelle! La Bruyère! Galiani! La Rochefoucauld! Saint-Évremond!
More on:
Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues
Nicolas Chamfort
Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle
Jean de La Bruyère
L' abate Ferdinando Galiani
François de La Rochefoucauld (previously)
Charles de Saint-Évremond
More on:
Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues
Nicolas Chamfort
Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle
Jean de La Bruyère
L' abate Ferdinando Galiani
François de La Rochefoucauld (previously)
Charles de Saint-Évremond
Most compilers of verse or of bon mots resemble people who eat cherries or oysters, at first choosing the best ones, and finishing by eating everything.
Yup.
posted by chavenet at 4:30 PM on March 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Yup.
posted by chavenet at 4:30 PM on March 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Malcom De Chazal
And my favorite, that I just read a few hours ago, and which it seems has been awaiting me to place it online:
"Without the shadows, light could not ride the objects, and the sun would go everywhere on foot."
posted by BigSky at 4:35 PM on March 26, 2011
And my favorite, that I just read a few hours ago, and which it seems has been awaiting me to place it online:
"Without the shadows, light could not ride the objects, and the sun would go everywhere on foot."
posted by BigSky at 4:35 PM on March 26, 2011
I think my friends are going to loathe my status updates for a while.
posted by MasonDixon at 6:06 PM on March 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by MasonDixon at 6:06 PM on March 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Apropos nothing, a fontenelle is a natural hole in the braincase of a skull, such as the newborn's "soft spot."
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:32 PM on March 26, 2011
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:32 PM on March 26, 2011
a fontenelle is a natural hole in the braincase of a skull
Is that not a fontanelle?
And if we are talking philosophes, why no Voltaire? Diderot? Rousseau?
posted by Wolof at 6:35 AM on March 27, 2011
Is that not a fontanelle?
And if we are talking philosophes, why no Voltaire? Diderot? Rousseau?
posted by Wolof at 6:35 AM on March 27, 2011
Here are some interesting modern maxims (aka epigrams or aphorisms).
posted by Bureau of Public Secrets at 11:19 AM on March 27, 2011
posted by Bureau of Public Secrets at 11:19 AM on March 27, 2011
I'm not allowed to answer "Metafilter" when my partner asks me "Whatcha reading?" Thanks for making me, for at least one answer to this question, seem a little brighter than usual -- or at least catching him off guard.
Also, let this thread be my nth opportunity to rally for Instapaper for saving stuff you want to read later and can have ability to do so on your phone, in your browser, or even (gasp) on paper.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:34 PM on March 27, 2011
Also, let this thread be my nth opportunity to rally for Instapaper for saving stuff you want to read later and can have ability to do so on your phone, in your browser, or even (gasp) on paper.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:34 PM on March 27, 2011
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posted by ZenMasterThis at 3:56 PM on March 26, 2011 [2 favorites]