Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded

Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded

On their own merits modest men are dumb.

On their own merits modest men are dumb.

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.

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.]

We start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them.

We start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them.

The world more often rewards the appearances of merit than merit itself.

The world more often rewards the appearances of merit than merit itself.

There is a season for man's merit as well as for fruit.
[Fr., Le merite des hommes a sa read more

There is a season for man's merit as well as for fruit.
[Fr., Le merite des hommes a sa saison aussi bien que les
fruits.]

The more merit, the less affection

The more merit, the less affection