Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

A man is perhaps ungrateful, but often less chargeable with ingratitude than his benefactor is.

There are some people who would never have fallen in love if they had not heard there was such a thing.

Sobriety is love of health, or inability to eat much.

It is as easy to deceive one's self without perceiving it, as it is difficult to deceive others without their finding out.

Tastes in young people are changed by natural impetuosity, and in the aged are preserved by habit.

They that apply themselves to trifling matters commonly become incapable of great ones.

As long as we love, we can forgive.

Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.

The less you trust others, the less you will be deceived.

Youth is a perpetual intoxication; it is a fever of the mind.

Gallantry of mind consists in saying flattering things in an agreeable manner.

Luxury and excessive refinement are sure forerunners of the decadence of states, because when all individuals seek their own interests they neglect the public weal.

Vices are ingredients of virtues just as poisons are ingredients of remedies. Prudence mixes and tempers them and uses them effectively against life's ills.

To be a great man it is necessary to turn to account all opportunities.

Virtue is to the soul what health is tot he body.

Almost everyone takes pleasure in repaying trifling obligations, very many feel gratitude for those that are moderate; but there is scarcely anyone who is not ungrateful for those that are weighty.

There are good marriages, but there are no delightful ones.

The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. The glory of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acpuire it.

Too great refinement is false delicacy, and true delicacy is solid refinement.

The measure of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it.

We often see malefactors, when they are led to execution, put on resolution and a contempt of death which, in truth, is nothing else but fearing to look it in the face--so that this pretended bravery may very truly be said to do the same good office to their mind that the blindfold does to their eyes.

Criticism sometimes is really praise, and praise sometimes slander.

If we are incapable of finding peace in ourselves, it is pointless to search elsewhere.

It is easier to know men in general, than men in particular.

Gravity is a mysterious carriage of the body invented to cover the defects of the mind.

The wind which snuffs the candle fans the fire.

Novelty is to love like bloom to fruit; it gives a luster which is easily effaced, but never returns.

The intellect is always fooled by the heart.

Moderation in people who are contented comes from that calm that good fortune lends to their spirit.

Some men are like ballads, that are in everyone's mouth a little while.

One honor won is a surety for more.

Το know how to profit by good advice, requires nearly as much ability as to know how to act for one'self.

Virtue would not make such advances if there were not a little vanity to keep it company.

There are heroes of wickedness, as there are of goodness.

The reason we bitterly hate those who deceive us is because they think they are cleverer than we are.

We label judges with having the meanest motives, and yet we desire that our reputation and fame should depend upon the judgment of men, who are all, either from their jealousy or preoccupation or want of intelligence, opposed to us - and yet despite their bias, just for the sake of making these men decide in our favor, we peril in so many ways both our peace and our life.

The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.

The pleasure of love is in the loving; and there is more joy in the passion one feels than in that which one inspires.

Ridicule dishonours more than dishonour.

Pride, which inspires us with so much envy, is sometimes of use toward the moderating of it too.

Fortune never appears so blind as to those to whom she does no good.

Never give anyone the advice to buy or sell shares, because the most benevolent price of advice can turn out badly.

The smallest fault of women who give themselves up to love is to love.

It is as proper to have pride in oneself as it ridiculous to show it to others.

A man's worth has its season, like fruit.

Before strongly desiring anything, we should look carefully into the happiness of its present owner.

To boast that one never flirts is actually a kind of flirtation.

Our repentances are generally not so much a concern and remorse for the harm we have done, as a fear of the harm we may have brought upon ourselves.