Memorable Quotes and quotations from Francois de La RochefoucauldFrancois de La Rochefoucauld French author & moralist (1613 - 1680)Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - The pleasure of love is in loving. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy those are who already possess it. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils; but present evils triumph over it. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person? Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - To be deceived by our enemies or betrayed by our friends in insupportable; yet by ourselves we are often content to be so treated. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - The mind cannot long act the role of the heart. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - The glory of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Jealousy feeds upon suspicion, and it turns into fury or it ends as soon as we pass from suspicion to certainty. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We should often be ashamed of our finest actions if the world understood our motives. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Minds of moderate caliber ordinarily condemn everything which is beyond their range. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We think very few people sensible, except those who are of our opinion. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Pride does not wish to owe and vanity does not wish to pay. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Our repentance is not so much regret for the ill we have done as fear of the ill that may happen to us in consequence. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Maximes (1678) - We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - The truest mark of being born with great qualities, is being born without envy. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Few things are impracticable in themselves; and it is for want of application, rather than of means, that men fail to succeed. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Small minds are much distressed by little things. Great minds see them all but are not upset by them. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We often do good in order that we may do evil with impunity. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - The height of cleverness is to be able to conceal it. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Reflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales - The man whom no one pleases is much more unhappy than the man who pleases no one. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Reflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales - There are very few women in society whose virtue outlasts their beauty. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - quoted in O Magazine, October 2002 - When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We should manage our fortunes as we do our health - enjoy it when good, be patient when it is bad, and never apply violent remedies except in an extreme necessity. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - What seems to be generosity is often no more than disguised ambition, which overlooks a small interest in order to secure a great one. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Confidence contributes more to conversation than wit. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Few are agreeable in conversation, because each thinks of what he intends to say than of what others are saying, and listens no more when he himself has a chance to speak. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - When we are unable to find tranquillity within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We all have strength enough to endure the misfortunes of others. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - In jealousy there is more of self-love, than of love to another. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Vanity makes us do more things against inclination than reason. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - The confidence which we have in ourselves gives birth to much of that which we have in others. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We are more interested in making others believe we are happy than in trying to be happy ourselves. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Preserving health by too severe a rule is a worrisome malady. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Reflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales - The most dangerous folly of old people who were once attractive is to forget that they are not so any longer. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - He who lives without folly is not so wise as he imagines. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Hypocrisy is the homage which vice pays to virtue. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Reflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales - The sort of liveliness which increases with age is not far distant from madness. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Nothing is less sincere than our mode of asking and giving advice. He who asks seems to have a deference for the opinion of his friend, while he only aims to get approval of his own and make his friend responsible for his action. And he who gives advice repays the confidence supposed to be placed in him by a seemingly disinterested zeal, while he seldom means anything by his advice but his own interest or reputation. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - If we had no faults of our own, we would not take so much pleasure in noticing those of others. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - To establish oneself in the world, one has to do all one can to appear established. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We always like those who admire us; we do not always like those whom we admire. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Quarrels would not last long if the fault were only on one side. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - The defects of the understanding, like those of the face, grow worse as we grow old. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - We often forgive those who bore us, but we cannot forgive those whom we bore. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong. Francois de La Rochefoucauld - - Not all those who know their minds know their hearts as well. |
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