To be a great man it is necessary to know how to profit by the whole of our good fortune. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man of understanding finds less difficulty in submitting to a wrong-headed fellow, than in attempting to set him right. — 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
The man whom no one pleases is much more unhappy than the man who pleases no one. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Gratitude, in most men, is only a strong and secret hope of greater favors. — 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
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
Passion often renders the most clever man a fool, and sometimes renders the most foolish man clever. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Few things are needful to make the wise man happy, but nothing satisfies the fool; - and this is the reason why… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What we take for virtue is often but an assemblage of various ambitions and activities that chance, or our own astuteness, have… — 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
It is easier for a man to be thought fit for an employment that he has not, than for one he stands… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Humility is the sure evidence of Christian virtues. Without it, we retain all our faults still, and they are only covered over… — 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
Very few people are acquainted with death. They undergo it, commonly, not so much out of resolution as custom and insensitivity; and… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is from a weakness and smallness of mind that men are opinionated; and we are very loath to believe what we… — 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
It is more difficult for a man to be faithful to his mistress when he is favored than when he is ill… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Most men, like plants, possess hidden qualities which chance discovers. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Great men's honor ought always to be measured by the methods they made use of in attaining it. — 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 are much mistaken if we think that men are always brave from a principle of valor, or women chaste from a… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Most people know no other way of judging men's worth but by the vogue they are in, or the fortunes they have… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men often pass from love to ambition, but they seldom come back again from ambition to love. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The esteem of good men is the reward of our worth, but the reputation of the world in general is the gift… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Some men are like ballads, that are in everyone's mouth a little while. — 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
A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
More men are guilty of treason through weakness than any studied design to betray. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The man who leaves a woman best pleased with herself is the one whom she will soonest wish to see. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The moderation of men in the most exalted fortunes is a desire to be thought above those things that have raised them… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The greater part of mankind judge of men only by their fashionableness or their fortune. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man's happiness or unhappiness depends as much on his temperament as on his destiny. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Ability wins us the esteem of the true men; luck, that of the people. — 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
A great many men's gratitude is nothing but a secret desire to hook in more valuable kindnesses hereafter. — 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
It is easier to understand mankind in general than any individual man. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever. — 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
