Characters, or Manners of the Present Age

"Characters, or Manners of the Present Age" — is a collection of epigrams, reflections, and portraits that La Bruyère compiled throughout his life in an attempt to understand the social manners of the era and draw the attention of his contemporaries to their "nature-inspired" shortcomings. La Bruyère's descriptions still amaze with their accuracy and realism, yet the author writes in a simple, poetic, and witty language. The notes are accompanied by a series of elegant anecdotes, bright statements, and sharp aphorisms that have not lost their relevance even after more than three centuries since they were written.