What men have given the name of friendship to is nothing but an alliance, a reciprocal accommodation of interest, an exchange of good offices; in it is nothing but a system of traffic, in which self-love always proposes to itself some advantage.
Francois Alexandre Frederic, duc de la Rochefoucauld-LiancourtYoung women that would not be thought coquettish, and old men that would not be ridiculous, should never talk of love, as if they had any concern in it.
Francois Alexandre Frederic, duc de la Rochefoucauld-LiancourtThe disabusing a man strongly possessed with an opinion of his own worth is the very same ill office that was done to the fool at Athens, who fancied all the ships that came into the harbor were his own.
Francois Alexandre Frederic, duc de la Rochefoucauld-LiancourtMore things are left undone through neglect of duty than through neglect of self-interest.
Francois Alexandre Frederic, duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt