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Without freedom to blame, no praise is flattering, and none but little men are afraid of little writings.

— Pierre Beaumarchais The Marriage of Figaro (1778)

Sans la liberté de blâmer, il n'est point d'éloge flatteur; et qu'il n'y a que les petits hommes qui redoutent les petits écrits.

Original text (French)

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Notes from Wikiquote

If censorship reigns, there cannot be sincere flattery, and none but little men are afraid of little writings. | Unsourced

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More quotes by Pierre Beaumarchais

I hasten to laugh at everything, for fear of being obliged to weep.

Le Barbier de Séville (1773)

To drink without thirst, to make love without cessation: this is what distinguishes us from the lower animals.

The Marriage of Figaro (1778)

Calumniate, calumniate; there will always be something which sticks.

Le Barbier de Séville (1773)

It is not necessary to retain facts that we may reason concerning them.

Le Barbier de Séville (1773)

Be commonplace and creeping, and you attain all things.

Le Barbier de Séville (1773)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Pierre Beaumarchais (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.