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PASCAL'S THOUGHTS

531

He who knows the will of his master will be beaten with more blows, because of the power he has by his knowledge. Qui justus est, justificetur adhuc,[1] because of the power he has by justice. From him who has received most, will the greatest reckoning be demanded, because of the power he has by this help.


532

Scripture has provided passages of consolation and of warning for all conditions.

Nature seems to have done the same thing by her two infinities, natural and moral; for we shall always have the higher and the lower, the more clever and the less clever, the most exalted and the meanest, in order to humble our pride, and exalt our humility.


533

Comminutum cor[2] (Saint Paul). This is the Christian character. Alba has named you, I know you no more (Corneille). That is the inhuman character. The human character is the opposite.


534

There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who believe themselves sinners; the rest, sinners, who believe themselves righteous.


535

We owe a great debt to those who point out faults. For they mortify us. They teach us that we have been despised. They do not prevent our being so in the future; for we have many other faults for which we may be despised. They prepare for us the exercise of correction and freedom from fault.


536

Man is so made that by continually telling him he is a fool he believes it, and by continually telling it to himself he

  1. Revel., xxii. 11.
  2. "A broken heart."