François de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

“The desire which urges us to deserve praise strengthens our good qualities, and praise given to wit, valour, and beauty, tends to increase them.”

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

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

“The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices.”

“Man only blames himself in order that he may be praised.”

“It is easier for a man to be thought fit for an employment that he has not, than for one he stands already possessed of, and is exercising.”

“One can find women who have never had one love affair, but it is rare indeed to find any who have had only one.”

“It is not always for virtue's sake that women are virtuous.”

“The only good imitations are those that poke fun at bad originals.”

“Old people love to give good advice; it compensates them for their inability to set a bad example.”

“We own up to minor failings, but only so as to convince others that we have no major ones.”

“As we grow older we grow both more foolish and wiser at the same time.”

“Strength and weakness of mind are misnomers; they are really nothing but the good or bad health of our bodily organs.”

“How can we be answerable for what we shall want in the future, since we have no clear idea of what we want now?”

“It is difficult to like those whom we do not esteem; but it is no less so to like those whom we esteem more than ourselves.”

“There are people who, like new songs, are in vogue only for a time.”

“Philosophy finds it an easy matter to vanquish past and future evils, but the present are commonly too hard for it.”

“In friendship as well as love, ignorance very often contributes more to our happiness than knowledge.”

“Lovers, when they are no longer in love, find it very hard to break up.”

“Perfect behavior is born of complete indifference.”

“Neither love nor fire can subsist without perpetual motion; both cease to live so soon as they cease to hope, or to fear.”

“Small minds are much distressed by little things. Great minds see them all but are not upset by them.”

“It is a wearisome disease to preserve health by too strict a regimen.”

“Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company.”

“The simplest man with passion will be more persuasive than the most eloquent without.”