Humility is often a false front we employ to gain power over others. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are reproaches which praise, and praises which defame. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The prospect of being pleased tomorrow will never console me for the boredom of today. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Were we faultless, we would not derive such satisfaction from remarking the faults of others. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The only good imitations are those that poke fun at bad originals. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
If one judges love by the majority of its effects, it is more like hatred than like friendship. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We often bore others when we think we cannot possibly bore them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
When our hatred is violent, it sinks us even beneath those we hate. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are good marriages, but there are no delightful ones. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There is great skill in knowing how to conceal one's skill. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Some people resemble ballads which are only sung for a certain time. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We should only affect compassion, and carefully avoid having any. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The confidence which we have in ourselves give birth to much of that, which we have in others. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is a wearisome disease to preserve health by too strict a regimen. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What is called liberality is often merely the vanity of giving. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We can never be certain of our courage until we have faced danger… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Too great refinement is false delicacy, and true delicacy is solid refinement. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Renewed friendships require more care than those that have never been broken. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We torment ourselves rather to make it appear that we are happy than to become so. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The greatest fault of a penetrating wit is to go beyond the mark. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We would rather see those to whom we do good, than those who do good to us. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Preserving health by too severe a rule is a worrisome malady. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men would not live in society long if they were not each others dupes. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The duration of our passions is no more dependent on ourselves than the duration of our lives. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is much better to learn to deal with the ills we have now than to speculate on those that may befall… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is easier to deceive yourself, and to do so unperceived, than to deceive another. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Those who are themselves incapable of great crimes are ever backward to suspect others. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The qualities we have, make us so ridiculous as those which we affect. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We forget our faults easily when they are known to ourselves alone. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is a species of coquetry to make a parade of never practising it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The only good copies are those which make us see the absurdity of bad originals. — 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
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
