Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

We do not like to praise, and seldom praise anyone without self-interest.

It is easier to understand mankind in general than any individual man.

In the presence of some people we inevitably depart From ourselves: we are inaccurate, we say things we do not feel, And talk nonsense. When we get home we are conscious that we Have made fools of ourselves. Never go near these people.

Though nature be ever so generous, yet can she not make a hero alone. Fortune must contribute her part too; and till both concur, the work cannot be perfected.

It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.

Most men, like plants, possess hidden qualities which chance discovers.

There are few people who would not be ashamed of being loved when they love no longer.

The common foible of women who have been handsome is to forget that they are no longer so.

Though confidence is very fine, and makes the future sunny; I want no confidence for mine, I'd rather have the money

The extreme pleasure we take in speaking of ourselves should make us apprehensive that it gives hardly any to those who listen to us.

We are almost always bored by just those whom we must not find boring.

The desire of appearing clever often prevents our becoming so.

We often credit ourselves with vices the reverse of what we have, thus when weak we boast of our obstinacy.

The hunger for applause is the source for all conscious literature and heroism

To achieve greatness one should live as if they will never die.

Few are sufficiently wise to prefer censure which is useful to praise which is treacherous.

It is harder to hide the feelings we have than to feign the ones we do not have.

Everyone blames his memory, no one blames his judgment.

The more we love, the nearer we are to hate.

The evil that we do does not attract to us so much persecution and hatred as our good qualities.

Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires.

True bravery is shown by performing without witness what one might be capable of doing before all the world.

The moderation of men in the most exalted fortunes is a desire to be thought above those things that have raised them so high.

Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves nor take away from themselves.

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire.

Everyone complains of his memory, and nobody complains of his judgment.

A man may be sharper than another, but not than all others.

We often act treacherously more from weakness than from a fixed motive.

The constancy of the wise is only the talent of concealing the agitation of their hearts.

Politeness of mind consists in thinking chaste and refined thoughts.

The cunningest dissimulation is when a man pretends to be caught in the traps others set for him; and a man is never so easily over-reached as when he is contriving to over-reach others.

The exceeding delight we take in talking about ourselves should give us cause to fear that we are giving but very little pleasureto our listeners.

The man that thinks he loves his mistress for her own sake is mightily mistaken.

We come altogether fresh and raw into the several stages of life, and often find ourselves without experience, despite our years.

If we did not flatter ourselves, the flattery of others could never harm us.

To know oneself is not necessarily to improve oneself

There may be talent without position, but there is no position without some kind of talent.

The most effectual way to be deceived is to believe oneself more cunning than one's neighbors.

The first lover is kept a long while, when no offer is made of a second.

All men are equally proud. The only difference is that not all take the same methods of showing it.

There is a kind of love, the excess of which forbids jealousy.

What we cut off from our other faults is very often but so much added to our pride.

A readiness to believe ill of others, before we have duly examined it, is the effect of laziness and pride. We are eager to find aculprit, and loath to give ourselves the trouble of examining the crime.

He is a truly virtuous man who wishes always to be open to the observation of honest men.

Listening well and answering well is one of the greatest perfections that can be obtained in conversation.

Narrowness of mind is often the cause of obstinacy; we do not easily believe beyond what we see.

The old begin to complain of the conduct of the young when they themselves are no longer able to set a bad example.

There are many predicaments in life that one must be a bit crazy to escape from.