We should scarcely desire things ardently if we were perfectly acquainted with what we desire. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Desire Copy Share Image
There are fine things that are more brilliant when they are unfinished than when finished too much. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Beauty Copy Share Image
We frequently do good in order to enable us to do evil later with impunity exemption of punishment. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Evil Copy Share Image
As it is the mark of great minds to say many things in a few words, so it is that of little… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is often laziness and timidity that keep us within our duty while virtue gets all the credit. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Character Copy Share Image
The most effectual way to be deceived is to believe oneself more cunning than one's neighbors. — 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 Accidents Copy Share Image
Things often offer themselves to our mind in a more finished form in the very first thought, than we might have made… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Education Copy Share Image
Those who have the most cunning affect all their lives to condemn cunning; that they may make use of it on some… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We only acknowledge small faults in order to make it appear that we are free from great ones. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The extreme pleasure we take in speaking of ourselves should make us apprehensive that it gives hardly any to those who listen… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Apprehensive Copy Share Image
There are some people upon whom their very faults and failings sit gracefully; and there are others whose very excellencies and accomplishments… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Accomplishment Copy Share Image
To establish yourself in the world a person must do all they can to appear already established. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Some disguised deceits counterfeit truth so perfectly that not to be taken in by them would be an error of judgment. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Wits Copy Share Image
The reason we do not let our friends see the very bottom of our hearts is not so much distrust of them… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Too great cleverness is but deceptive delicacy, true delicacy is the most substantial cleverness. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The constancy of sages is nothing but the art of locking up their agitation in their hearts. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Agitation 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 Bravery Copy Share Image
The extreme delight we experience in talking about ourselves should warn us that those who listen do not share it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Delight 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
There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Crime Copy Share Image
There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Disguise Copy Share Image
The generality of friends puts us out of conceit with friendship; just as the generality of religious people puts us out of… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Conceit Copy Share Image
Love has its name borrowed by a great number of dealings and affairs that are attributed to it--in which it has no… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Affair Copy Share Image
Jealousy is bred in doubts. When those doubts change into certainties, then the passion either ceases or turns absolute madness. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Doubts Copy Share Image
Our greediness so often troubles us, making us run after so many things at the same time, that while we too eagerly… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Greediness Copy Share Image
In friendship as well as love, ignorance very often contributes more to our happiness than knowledge. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Friendship Copy Share Image
People's personalities, like buildings, have various facades, some pleasant to view, some not. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Engineering Copy Share Image
To praise princes for virtues they do not possess is to insult them without fear of consequences. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Character Copy Share Image
The better part of one's life consists of his friendships. ABRAHAM LINCOLN, letter to Joseph Gillespie, July 13, 1849 Friendship is insipid… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Abraham Copy Share Image
Perhaps being old is having lighted rooms inside your head, and people in them, acting. People you know, yet can't quite name. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Acting 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 Feminism Copy Share Image
If one judges love according to the greatest part of the effects it produces, it would appear to resemble rather hatred than… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The moderation of fortunate people comes from the calm which good fortune gives to their tempers. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Calm Copy Share Image
The shame that arises from praise which we do not deserve often makes us do things we should otherwise never have attempted. — 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 Ambition Copy Share Image
If we took as much pains to be what we ought, as we do to deceive others by disguising what we are;… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Ashamed Copy Share Image
