"We seldom praise anyone in good earnest,..." - Quote by Francois De La Rochefoucauld

“The heart of man ever finds a constant succession of passions, so that the destroying and pulling down of one proves generally tobe nothing else but the production and the setting up of another.”

“Our good qualities expose us more to hatred and persecution than all the ill we do.”

“That which occasions so many mistakes in the computations of men, when they expect return for favors, is that the giver's pride and the receiver's cannot agree upon the value of the kindness done.”

“I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

“Generally speaking, we would make a good bargain by renouncing all the good that people say of us, upon condition they would say no ill.”

“If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.”

“Man never creates, he only recombines the lines and colors of his own existance.”

“Too much pleasure disagrees with us. Too many concords are annoying in music; too many benefits irritate us; we wish to have the wherewithal to overpay our debts.”

“There isn't any way to libel the human race.”