Men frequently do good only to give themselves opportunity of doing ill with impunity. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is often hard to determine whether a clear, open, and honorable proceeding is the result of goodness or of cunning. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are bad people who would be less dangerous if they were quite devoid of goodness. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
None deserve praise for being good who have not the spirit to be bad: goodness, for the most part, is nothing but… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The appearances of goodness and merit often meet with a greater reward from the world than goodness and merit themselves. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
“Nobody deserves to be praised for goodness unless he is strong enough to be bad.” — François 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
No man deserves to be praised for his goodness, who has it not in his power to be wicked. Goodness without that… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our good qualities expose us more to hatred and persecution than all the ill we do. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are heroes of wickedness, as there are of goodness. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Some good qualities are like the senses: Those who are entirely deprived of them can have no notion of them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Nothing is rarer than true good nature; they who are reputed to have it are generally only pliant or weak. — 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
