Vanity, shame, and above all disposition, often make men brave and women chaste. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Passion very often makes the wisest men fools, and very often too inspires the greatest fools with wit. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The moderation of men in the most exalted fortunes is a desire to be thought above those things that have raised them… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The greater part of mankind judge of men only by their fashionableness or their fortune. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
More men are guilty of treason through weakness than any studied design to betray. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The man who leaves a woman best pleased with herself is the one whom she will soonest wish to see. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The passions are the only orators that always persuade: they are, as it were, a natural art, the rules of which are… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Some men are so full of themselves that when they fall in love, they amuse themselves rather with their own passion than… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
That which occasions so many mistakes in the computations of men, when they expect return for favors, is that the giver's pride… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men are not only prone to forget benefits; they even hate those who have obliged them, and cease to hate those who… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Humility is often only a feigned submissiveness by which men hope to bring other people to submit to them; it is a… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The most ingenious men continually pretend to condemn tricking--but this is often done that they may use it more conveniently themselves, when… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
However wicked men may be, they do not dare openly to appear the enemies of virtue, and when they desire to persecute… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is easier to understand mankind in general than any individual man. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
That man, we may be sure, is a person of true worth, whom those who envy him most are yet forced to… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man's happiness or unhappiness depends as much on his temperament as on his destiny. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Ability wins us the esteem of the true men; luck, that of the people. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are two things which Man cannot look at directly without flinching: the sun and death. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A great many men's gratitude is nothing but a secret desire to hook in more valuable kindnesses hereafter. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man convinced of his own merit will accept misfortune as an honor, for thus can he persuade others, as well as… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Self-love is the love of a man's own self, and of everything else for his own sake. It makes people idolaters to… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man often believes himself leader when he is led; as his mind endeavors to reach one goal, his heart insensibly drags… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Most men expose themselves in battle enough to save their honor, few wish to do so more than sufficiently, or than is… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man for whom accident discovers sense, is not a rational being. A man only is so who understands, who distinguishes, who… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What men call friendship is no more than a partnership, a mutual care of interests, an exchange of favors - in a… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The courage of a great many men, and the virtue of a great many women, are the effect of vanity, shame, and… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Happiness does not consist in things themselves but in the relish we have of them; and a man has attained it when… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Moderation is represented as a virtue in order to restrain the ambition of great men, and to console those of a meaner… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The blindness of men is the most dangerous effect of their pride; it seems to nourish and augment it; it deprives them… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are no events so disastrous that adroit men do not draw some advantage from them, nor any so fortunate that the… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man often thinks he rules himself, when all the while he is ruled and managed; and while his understanding directs one… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man's wits are better employed in bearing up under the misfortunes that lie upon him at present than in foreseeing those… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Love of glory, fear of shame, greed for fortune, the desire to make life agreeable and comfortable, and the wish to depreciate… — 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
