It is the mark of a mean, vulgar and ignoble spirit to dwell on the thought of food before meal times or worse to dwell on it afterwards, to discuss it and wallow in the remembered pleasures of every mouthful. Those whose minds dwell before dinner on the spit, and after on the dishes, are fit only to be scullions.
Francis De SalesThose who love to be feared fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only them, they fear everyone.
Francis De SalesThere are no galley-slaves in the royal vessel of divine love—every man works his oar voluntarily!
Francis De SalesYou learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working ; and just so you learn to love God and man by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.
Francis De SalesHave patience with every one, but especially with yourself.
Francis De SalesA heart-memory is better than a mere head-memory. Better to carry away a little of the love of Christ in our souls, than if we were able to repeat every word of every sermon we ever heard.
Francis De SalesThe damned are in the abyss of Hell, as within a woeful city, where they suffer unspeakable torments, in all their senses and members, because as they have employed all their senses and their members in sinning, so shall they suffer in each of them the punishment due to sin.
Francis De SalesCar l'amitié est un amour mutuel, & s'il n'est mutuel, ce n'est pas amitié.[1]
Francis De SalesA good discourse is that from which nothing can be retrenched without cutting into the quick.
Francis De SalesHave patience with all things, but, first of all with yourself.
Francis De Sales