Molière

If perchance a friend should betray you; if he forms a subtle plot to get hold of what is yours; if people should try to spread evil reports about you, would you tamely submit to all this without flying into a rage?

Mademoiselle De Brie: But it can't be much fun seeing your work torn to shreds.

Moliere: What do I care? Didn't I get everything I wanted from my play? I was lucky — it appealed to the distinguished audience I was particularly eager to please. Don't you think I'm right to be happy with how it turned out? Can't you see that their attacks have come too late? It's out of my hands at this point. If people attack a successful play, they're attacking the audience who liked it, for their lack of judgement, not the art of the man who wrote the play, don't you see?

Pull the chestnuts out of the fire with the cat's paw.

Las cosas no valen sino lo que se las hace valer.

It is seasoned throughout with Attic salt.

My claims were justified in all men's sight; I put my trust in equity and right; Yet, to my horror and the world's disgrace, Justice is mocked, and I have lost my case! A scoundrel whose dishonesty is notorious Emerges from another lie victorious!

Quand on sait entendre, on parle toujours bien.

Cl. In short, we ought to be blind throughout this play, and pretend not to see anything in it. Ur. We ought not to see what is not there.

Les beaux yeux de ma cassette.

Un sot savant est sot plus qu'un sot ignorant.

"Je voudrais bien savoir pourquoi les gens qui se scandalisent si fort de la comédie de Molière ne disent mot de celle de Scaramouche."

"La raison de cela, c'est que la comédie de Scaramouche joue le ciel et la religion, dont ces messieurs-là ne se soucient point; mais celle de Molière les joue eux-mêmes; c'est ce qu'ils ne peuvent souffrir."

I will maintain it before the whole world.

Un homme incommode à tout le monde, malpropre, dégoûtant, sans cesse un lavement ou une médecine dans le ventre, mouchant, toussant, crachant toujours ; sans esprit, ennuyeux, de mauvaise humeur, fatiguant sans cesse les gens, et grondant jour et nuit servantes et valets.

unbroken happiness is a bore: it should have ups and downs.