How deceitful hope may be, yet she carries us on pleasantly to the end of life. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
To praise great actions with sincerity may be said to be taking part in them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A gentleman may love like a lunatic, but not like a beast. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man may be sharper than another, but not than all others. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Man only blames himself in order that he may be praised. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There is no accident so unfortunate but wise men will make some advantage of it, nor any so entirely fortunate but fools… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Whatever discoveries we may have made in the regions of self-love, there still remain many unknown lands. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
However we may conceal our passions under the veil ... there is always some place where they peep out. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are no accidents so unlucky but the prudent may draw some advantage from them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men may boast of their great actions; but they are more often the effects of chance than of design. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Pity is often a reflection of our own evils in the ills of others. It is a delicate foresight of the troubles… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Only strong natures can really be sweet ones; those that seem sweet are in general only weak, and may easily turn sour. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
One man may be more cunning than another, but no one can be more cunning than all the world. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Pity is a sense of our own misfortunes in those of another man; it is a sort of foresight of the disasters… — 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
In all professions each affects a look and an exterior to appear what he wishes the world to believe that he is.… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Though most of the friendships of the world ill deserve the name of friendships; yet a man may make use of them… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Gratitude is like the good faith of traders: it maintains commerce, and we often pay, not because it is just to discharge… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The health of the soul is something we can be no more sure of than that of the body; and though a… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We may say of agreeableness, as distinct from beauty, that it consists in a symmetry of which we know not the rules,… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
People that are conceited of their own merit take pride in being unfortunate, that themselves and others may think them considerable enough… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Virtue is the habit of acting according to wisdom. GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ, "Felicity", Leibniz: Political Writings Virtue is harder to be got… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Some allow themselves to be overcome by panic, and others charge because they dare not remain at their posts. Some may be… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We may sooner be brought to love them that hate us, than them that love us more than we would have them… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
No accidents are so unlucky [bad] but that the wise may draw some advantage [good] from them... — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man's wits are better employed in bearing up under the misfortunes that lie upon him at present than in foreseeing those… — 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
That man, we may be sure, is a person of true worth, whom those who envy him most are yet forced to… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld 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 may seem great in an employment below our worth, but we very often look little in one that is too big… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Whatever distrust we may have of the sincerity of those who converse with us, we always believe they will tell us more… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Whatever pretended causes we may blame our afflictions upon, it is often nothing but self-interest and vanity that produce them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our repentances are generally not so much a concern and remorse for the harm we have done, as a fear of the… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There may be talent without position, but there is no position without some kind of talent. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is much better to learn to deal with the ills we have now than to speculate on those that may befall… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
However much we may distrust men's sincerity, we always believe they speak to us more sincerely than to others. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We may say of agreeableness, as distinct from beauty, that it is a symmetry whose rules are unknown. — 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
Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.” — François de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
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
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
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
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
It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share
We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share