When great men permit themselves to be cast down by the continuance of misfortune, they show us that they were only sustained… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The largest ambition has the least appearance of ambition when it meets with an absolute impossibility in compassing its object. — 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
Those whom the world has delighted to honor have oftener been influenced in their doings by ambition and vanity than by patriotism. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
On why I don't trust democracy without extremely powerful systems of accountability and recall What seems to be generosity is often only… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What seems to be generosity is often no more than disguised ambition, which overlooks a small interest in order to secure a… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is a mistake to imagine, that the violent passions only, such as ambition and love, can triumph over the rest. Idleness,… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Love often leads on to ambition, but seldom does one return from ambition to love. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The ambitious deceive themselves in proposing an end to their ambition; that end, when attained, becomes a means. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The aversion to lying is often a hidden ambition to render our words credible and weighty, and to attach a religious aspect… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our aversion to lying is commonly a secret ambition to make what we say considerable, and have every word received with a… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Humility is often only the putting on of a submissiveness by which men hope to bring other people to submit to them;… — 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
What we take for high-mindedness is very often no other than ambition well disguised, that scorns means interests, only to pursuegreater. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Moderation cannot have the credit of combatiug and subduing ambition, they are never found together. Moderation is the languor and indolence of… — 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
Moderation is the feebleness and sloth of the soul, whereas ambition is the warmth and activity of it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men often pass from love to ambition, but they seldom come back again from ambition to love. — 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 Image
Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.” — François de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
