Men frequently do good only to give themselves opportunity of doing ill with impunity. — 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
No man can love a second time the person whom he has once truly ceased to love. — 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
Men never desire anything very eagerly which they desire only by the dictates of reason. — 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
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
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
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
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
The same strength of character which helps a man resist love, helps to make it more violent and lasting too. People of… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. The glory of great men… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What men have called friendship is only a social arrangement, a mutual adjustment of interests, an interchange of services given and received;… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
In every walk of life each man puts on a personality and outward appearance so as to look what he wants to… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Hope is the last thing that dies in man; and though it be exceedingly deceitful, yet it is of this good use… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Love of fame, fear of disgrace, schemes for advancement, desire to make life comfortable and pleasant, and the urge to humiliate others… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
To be a great man it is necessary to turn to account all opportunities. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Passion often makes a fool of the cleverest man and often makes the most foolish men clever — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The generality of men have, like plants, latent properties, which chance brings to light. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The measure of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The desire to be thought clever often prevents a man from becoming so. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Men sometimes think they hate flattery, but they hate only the manner of flattering. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
A man is perhaps ungrateful, but often less chargeable with ingratitude than his benefactor is. — 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… — 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
When great men permit themselves to be cast down by the continuance of misfortune, they show us that they were only sustained… — 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
Men and things have each their proper perspective; to judge rightly of some it is necessary to see them near, of others… — 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The cunningest dissimulation is when a man pretends to be caught in the traps others set for him; and a man is… — 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
