Jean de la Bruyere — French Philosopher died on December 29, 1696

Jean de La Bruyère was a French philosopher and moralist... (wikipedia)

There is no road too long to the man who advances deliberately and without undue haste; there are no honors too distant to the man who prepares himself for them with patience.
The sweetest of all sounds is that of the voice of the woman we love.
If our life is unhappy it is painful to bear; if it is happy it is horrible to lose, So the one is pretty equal to the other.
Two persons cannot long be friends if they cannot forgive each other's little failings.
At the beginning and at the end of love, the two lovers are embarrassed to find themselves alone.