The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits.
Francois de La RochefoucauldNo man can love a second time the person whom he has once truly ceased to love.
Francois de La RochefoucauldWe should not judge a man's merits by his great qualities, but by the use he makes of them.
Francois de La RochefoucauldTrue bravery means doing alone that which one could do if all the world were by.
Francois de La RochefoucauldPride indemnifies itself and loses nothing even when it casts away vanity.
Francois de La RochefoucauldGreat and glorious events which dazzle the beholder are represented by politicians as the outcome of grand designs whereas they are usually products of temperaments and passions.
Francois de La RochefoucauldNothing is so contagious as example; and we never do any great good or evil which does not produce its like.
Francois de La RochefoucauldThe most brilliant fortunes are often not worth the littleness required to gain them.
Francois de La RochefoucauldMost men expose themselves in battle enough to save their honor, few wish to do so more than sufficiently, or than is necessary to make the design for which they expose themselves succeed.
Francois de La RochefoucauldThe most subtle of our acts is to simulate blindness for snares that we know are set for us.
Francois de La RochefoucauldFew people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them.
Francois de La RochefoucauldIt is not always from valor or from chastity that men are brave, and women chaste.
Francois de La RochefoucauldThere are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess.
Francois de La RochefoucauldTo praise great actions with sincerity may be said to be taking part in them.
Francois de La RochefoucauldThe courage of a great many men, and the virtue of a great many women, are the effect of vanity, shame, and especially a suitabletemperament.
Francois de La RochefoucauldWe are nearer loving those who hate us than those who love us more than we wish.
Francois de La RochefoucauldWhat we take for high-mindedness is very often no other than ambition well disguised, that scorns means interests, only to pursuegreater.
Francois de La RochefoucauldSelf-love is the love of a man's own self, and of everything else for his own sake. It makes people idolaters to themselves, and tyrants to all the world besides.
Francois de La RochefoucauldIt is far better to be deceived than undeceived by those whom we tenderly love.
Francois de La RochefoucauldSometimes there are accidents in our lives the skillful extrication from which demands a little folly.
Francois de La RochefoucauldIdleness and fear keeps us in the path of duty, but our virtue often gets the praise.
Francois de La RochefoucauldThose great and glorious actions that dazzle our eyes with their luster are represented by statesmen as the result of great wisdomand excellent design; whereas, in truth, they are commonly the effects of the humors and passions.
Francois de La RochefoucauldWe confess to little faults only to persuade ourselves we have no great ones.
Francois de La RochefoucauldToo great cleverness is but deceptive delicacy, true delicacy is the most substantial cleverness.
Francois de La RochefoucauldOld people are fond of giving good advice; it consoles them for no longer being capable of setting a bad example.
Francois de La RochefoucauldThe aversion to lying is often a hidden ambition to render our words credible and weighty, and to attach a religious aspect to our conversation.
Francois de La RochefoucauldMediocre minds usually dismiss anything which reaches beyond their own understanding.
Francois de La RochefoucauldTimidity is a fault for which it is dangerous to reprove persons whom we wish to correct of it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld