Giving Quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld

What is called liberality is often merely the vanity of giving.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We give advice, we do not inspire conduct.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Generosity is the vanity of giving.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are never so generous as when giving advice.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We give nothing so freely as advice.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Many people despise wealth, but few know how to give it away.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The confidence which we have in ourselves give birth to much of that, which we have in others.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

Whatever pretext we may give for our affections, often it is only interest and vanity which cause them.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

What is called generosity is usually only the vanity of giving; we enjoy the vanity more than the thing given.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The moderation of fortunate people comes from the calm which good fortune gives to their tempers.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

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

Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The smallest fault of women who give themselves up to love is to love.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Novelty is to love like bloom to fruit; it gives a luster which is easily effaced, but never returns.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The applause we give those who are new to society often proceeds from a secret envying of those already established.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Men frequently do good only to give themselves opportunity of doing ill with impunity.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

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

Those who give too much attention to trifling things become generally incapable of great ones.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

Sometimes there is equal or more ability in knowing how to use good advice than there is in giving it.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

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

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

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

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

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

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