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 It sounds like stories from the land of spirits,
 If any man obtain that which he merits,
  read more 
 It sounds like stories from the land of spirits,
 If any man obtain that which he merits,
  Or any merit that which he obtains. 
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.
 Thy father's merit sets thee up to view,
 And shows thee in the fairest point of light,
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 Thy father's merit sets thee up to view,
 And shows thee in the fairest point of light,
  To make thy virtues, or thy faults, conspicuous. 
He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends
He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends
The more merit, the less affection
The more merit, the less affection
 The sufficiency of merit is to know that my merit is not 
sufficient.  
 The sufficiency of merit is to know that my merit is not 
sufficient. 
On their own merits modest men are dumb.
On their own merits modest men are dumb.
 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.] 
 There is merit without elevation, but there is no elevation 
without some merit.
 [Fr., Il y a du read more 
 There is merit without elevation, but there is no elevation 
without some merit.
 [Fr., Il y a du merite sans elevation mais il n'y a point 
d'elevation sans quelque merite.]