What is called liberality is often merely the vanity of giving. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Many people despise wealth, but few know how to give it away. — 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
Whatever pretext we may give for our affections, often it is only interest and vanity which cause them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are few occasions when we should make a bad bargain by giving up the good on condition that no ill was… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What is called generosity is usually only the vanity of giving; we enjoy the vanity more than the thing given. — 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 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 Copy Share Image
Old people are fond of giving good advice; it consoles them for no longer being capable of setting a bad example. — 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
It appears that nature has hid at the bottom of our hearts talents and abilities unknown to us. It is only the… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A readiness to believe ill of others, before we have duly examined it, is the effect of laziness and pride. We are… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The person giving the advice returns the confidence placed in him with a disinterested eagerness... and he is usually guided only by… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What we call generosity is for the most part only the vanity of giving; and we exercise it because we are more… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Unfaithfulness ought to extinguish love, and we should not be jealous when there is reason to be. Only those who give no… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We often persuade ourselves to love people who are more powerful than we are, yet interest alone produces our friendship; we do… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Kings do with men as with pieces of money; they give them what value they please, and we are obliged to receive… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Confidence always pleases those who receive it. It is a tribute we pay to their merit, a deposit we commit to their… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There is a form of eminence which does not depend on fate; it is an air which sets us apart and seems… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Novelty is to love like bloom to fruit; it gives a luster which is easily effaced, but never returns. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The smallest fault of women who give themselves up to love is to love. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men frequently do good only to give themselves opportunity of doing ill with impunity. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The applause we give those who are new to society often proceeds from a secret envying of those already established. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Those who give too much attention to trifling things become generally incapable of great ones. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The breeding we give young people is ordinarily but an additional self-love, by which we make them have a better opinion of… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is sometimes a point of as much cleverness to know to make good use of advice from others as to be… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The praise we give to new comers into the world arises from the envy we bear to those who are established. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Sometimes there is equal or more ability in knowing how to use good advice than there is in giving it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Praise is a more ingenious, concealed, and subtle kind of flattery, that satisfies both the giver and the receiver, though by verydifferent… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is given to few persons to keep this secret well. Those who lay down rules too often break them, and the… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
When fortune surprises us by giving us some great office without having gradually led us to expect it, or without having raised… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The exceeding delight we take in talking about ourselves should give us cause to fear that we are giving but very little… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Pride has a greater share than goodness in the reproofs we give other people for their faults; and we chide them not… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our desires always disappoint us; for though we meet with something that gives us satisfaction, yet it never thoroughly answers our expectation.… — Francois 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… — 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