The happiness and unhappiness of men depends as much on their ethics as on fortune. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men never desire anything very eagerly which they desire only by the dictates of reason. — 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
We label judges with having the meanest motives, and yet we desire that our reputation and fame should depend upon the judgment… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The heart of man ever finds a constant succession of passions, so that the destroying and pulling down of one proves generally… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A clever man reaps some benefit from the worst catastrophe, and a fool can turn even good luck to his disadvantage. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man seldom finds people unthankful, as long as he remains in a condition of benefiting them further. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
In infants, levity is a prettiness; in men a shameful defect; but in old age, a monstrous folly. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
For the credit of virtue we must admit that the greatest misfortunes of men are those into which they fall through their… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
No men are oftener wrong than those that can least bear to be so. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men are often so foolish as to boast and value themselves upon their passions, even those that are most vicious. But envy… — 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
A man convinced of his own merit will accept misfortune as an honor, for thus can he persuade others, as well as… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
All men are equally proud. The only difference is that not all take the same methods of showing it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
That which occasions so many mistakes in the computations of men, when they expect return for favors, is that the giver's pride… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Humility is often only a feigned submissiveness by which men hope to bring other people to submit to them; it is a… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men's happiness and misery depends altogether as much upon their own humor as it does upon fortune. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are two things which Man cannot look at directly without flinching: the sun and death. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Nothing is more contagious than example, and no man does any exceeding good or exceeding ill but it spawns new deeds of… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man does not please long when he has only species of wit. — 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
