You May Also Like / View all maxioms
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.
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.
The favor of princes does not preclude the existence of merit,
and yet does not prove that it exists.
read more
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.]
The same principle leads us to neglect a man of merit that
induces us to admire a fool.
read more
The same principle leads us to neglect a man of merit that
induces us to admire a fool.
[Fr., Du meme fonds dont on neglige un homme de merite l'on sait
encore admirer un sot.]
Surely, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propped by read more
Surely, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propped by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way, nor called upon
For high feats done to th' crown, neither allied
To eminent assistants, but spiderlike
Out of his self-drawing web, 'a gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way,
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.
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.
Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.
Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.
If you wish in this world to advance your merits you're bound to enhance; you must stir it and stump read more
If you wish in this world to advance your merits you're bound to enhance; you must stir it and stump it, and blow your own trumpet, or, trust me, you haven't a chance.
Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded
Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded