If vanity does not overthrow all our virtues, at least she makes them totter — François De La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It requires greater virtues to support good fortune than bad. — 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
To praise princes for virtues they are lacking in is a way of insulting them with impunity — François 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
Virtues lose themselves in self-interest, as rivers in the sea. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
To praise princes for virtues they do not possess is to insult them without fear of consequences. — 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
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
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
Great souls are not those who have fewer passions and more virtues than others, but only those who have greater designs. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Humility is the sure evidence of Christian virtues. Without it, we retain all our faults still, and they are only covered over… — 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
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
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