Contemporaries appreciate the man rather than his merit; posterity will regard the merit rather than the man.

Contemporaries appreciate the man rather than his merit; posterity will regard the merit rather than the man.

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.

The contented man can be happy with what appears to be useless.

The contented man can be happy with what appears to be useless.

Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Contentment is a pearl of great price, and whoever procures it at the expense of ten thousand desires makes a read more

Contentment is a pearl of great price, and whoever procures it at the expense of ten thousand desires makes a wise and a happy purchase

Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead.

Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead.

There's a proud modesty in merit; averse from asking, and resolved to pay ten times the gifts it asks.

There's a proud modesty in merit; averse from asking, and resolved to pay ten times the gifts it asks.

My motto is: Contented with little, yet wishing for more.

My motto is: Contented with little, yet wishing for more.

The favor of princes does not preclude the existence of merit,
and yet does not prove that it exists.
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The favor of princes does not preclude the existence of merit,
and yet does not prove that it exists.
[Fr., La faveur des princes n'exclut pas le merite, et ne le
suppose pas aussi.]