
“To speak well of a base man is much the same as speaking ill of a good man.”
The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (1883), XIX Philosophical Maxims. Morals. Polemics and Speculations.
“To speak well of a base man is much the same as speaking ill of a good man.”
The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (1883), XIX Philosophical Maxims. Morals. Polemics and Speculations.
“These wretched kings,
Of whom all men speak ill, have oft some good in them.”
Ces malheureux rois,
Dont on dit tant de mal, ont du bon quelquefois.
Le Meunier de Sans-Souci. (Ed. 1818, Vol. III., p. 205).
Translation reported in Harbottle's Dictionary of quotations French and Italian (1904), p. 26.
“If you must speak ill of another, do not speak it, write it in the sand near the water's edge.”
Variant: If you must speak ill of another, do not speak it...
“You should not speak ill of an absent friend.”
Ne male loquare absenti amico.
Trinummus, Act IV, sc. 2, line 81.
Trinummus (The Three Coins)
Remarks in New York City at a Reception for Delegates to the State Republican Convention http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1982/61782e.htm (17 June 1982), this is a restatement of "The Eleventh Commandment" by California Republican Party Chairman Gaylord Parkinson, which Reagan first used in 1966
1980s, First term of office (1981–1985)
33
tr. George Long (1888)
The Enchiridion (c. 135)
“We would rather speak ill of ourselves than not talk about ourselves at all.”
On aime mieux dire du mal de soi-même que de n'en point parler.
Maxim 138.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)