Molière Quotes

If all hearts were candid, just, and tractable, most of our virtues would be useless to us, inasmuch as their functions are to bear, without annoyance, the injustice of others in our good cause; and just in the same way as a heart full of virtue

What! Just because a rascal boldly duped you With pompous show of false austerity, Must you needs have it everybody's like him, And no one's truly pious nowadays?

Tartuffe: For heaven's sake! Before you speak, I pray you take this handkerchief.
Dorine: Whatever do you mean?
Tartuffe: Cove your bosom. I can't bear to see it. Such pernicious sights give rise to sinful thoughts.
Dorine: You're mighty susceptible to temptation then! The flesh must make a great impression on you! I really don't know why you should get so excited. I can't say that I'm so easily roused. I could see you naked from head to foot and your whole carcass wouldn't tempt me in the least.

Kogu inimkond on nii vastik rämps ja park,
et mind solvata võiks, kui näiksin neile tark.

"He always wanted to return a part. "It is too much," he'd say, "too much by half; I am not worthy of your pity." Then, When I refused to take it back, he'd go, Before my eyes, and give it to the poor."

Reason is not what decides love.

C'est un méchant moyen de se faire aimer de quelqu'un que de lui faire violence.

Amigo mío, no soy lo que parezco. Mi apariencia no es más que el traje que visto, un traje cuidadosamente tejido que me protege a mí de tu curiosidad, y a ti de mi negligencia. El yo que hay en mí, amigo mío, habita en la casa del silencio, y en ella vivirá para siempre inadvertido, inaccesible. No quisiera hacerte creer en lo que digo ni que confiaras en lo que hago, porque mis palabras no son sino tus propios pensamientos transformados en sonido; y mis acciones tus propias esperanzas convertidas en acción. Cuando tú dices “El viento sopla hacia el Este” yo digo “Sí, sopla hacia el Este”; porque no quisiera hacerte saber que mi mente no medita sobre el viento, sino sobre el mar. Tú no puedes comprender mis pensamientos marinos, ni yo quisiera hacértelos entender a ti. Preferiría estar solo con el mar.

"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."

Tout petit prince a des ambassadeurs, Tout marquis veut avoir des pages.

All that is not prose is verse; and all that is not verse is prose.

There are bundles and bundles.

All human failings give us, in life, the means of exercising our philosophy

He attracted the eyes of the whole congregation by the fervency with which he sent up his prayers to Heaven.

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.