If vanity does not overthrow all our virtues, at least she makes them totter — François De La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is as common for tastes to change as it is uncommon for traits of character. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our virtues are often, in reality, no better than vices disguised. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Vices are ingredients of virtues just as poisons are ingredients of remedies. Prudence mixes and tempers them and uses them effectively against… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Nature seems at each man's birth to have marked out the bounds of his virtues and vices, and to have determined how… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
High fortune makes both our virtues and vices stand out as objects that are brought clearly to view by the light. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Moral severity in women is only a dress or paint which they use to set off their beauty. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
When we exaggerate our friends' tenderness towards us, it is often less from gratitude than from a desire to exhibit our own… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
To praise princes for virtues they are lacking in is a way of insulting them with impunity — François De La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Virtue would not make such advances if there were not a little vanity to keep it company. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The qualities we have do not make us so ridiculous as those which we affect to have. [Fr., On n'est jamais si… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What we take for virtue is often but an assemblage of various ambitions and activities that chance, or our own astuteness, have… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The vices enter into the composition of the virtues, as poisons into that of medicines. Prudence collects and arranges them, and uses… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The same strength of character which helps a man resist love, helps to make it more violent and lasting too. People of… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Of all our faults, the one we avow most easily is idleness; we persuade ourselves that it is allied to all the… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
“What we term virtue is often but a mass of various actions and diverse interests, which fortune, or our own industry, manage… — François de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Virtue is the habit of acting according to wisdom. GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ, "Felicity", Leibniz: Political Writings Virtue is harder to be got… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is a mighty error to suppose that none but violent and strong passions, such as love and ambition, are able to… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It requires greater virtues to support good fortune than bad. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Self-love, as it happens to be well or ill conducted, constitutes virtue and vice. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our enemies' opinion of us comes closer to the truth than our own. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It takes more strength of character to withstand good fortune than bad. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Fortune makes our virtues and vices visible, just as light does the objects of sight. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Idleness and fear keeps us in the path of duty, but our virtue often gets the praise. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Whilst weakness and timidity keep us to our duty, virtue has often all the honor. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Indolence, languid as it is, often masters both passions and virtues. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
If vanity does not entirely overthrow the virtues, at least it makes them all totter. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
“Virtues are lost in self interest as rivers are lost in the sea.” — Francois de la Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Moderation is an ostentatious proof of our strength of character… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.” — François de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
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. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
![“The qualities we have do not make us so ridiculous as those which we affect to have. [Fr., On n'est jamais si ridicule par les qualites que l'on a que par celles que l'on affecte d'avoir.]” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/a3f/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_character_the-qualities-we-have-do-not-make-us-so_550676.png)
