Self-love increases or diminishes for us the good qualities of our friends, in proportion to the satisfaction we feel with them; and… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There is merit without rank, but there is no rank without some merit. — 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
We should not judge a man's merits by his great qualities, but by the use he makes of them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are two sorts of constancy in love one arises from continually discovering in the loved person new subjects for love, the… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The mark of extraordinary merit is to see those most envious of it constrained to praise. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is oftener by the estimation of our own feelings that we exaggerate the good qualities of others than by their merit,… — 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
We are not fond of praising, and never praise any one except from interested motives. Praise is a clever, concealed, and delicate… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are persons whose only merit consists in saying and doing stupid things at the right time, and who ruin all if… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
To awaken a man who is deceived as to his own merit is to do him as bad a turn as that… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Honest people will respect us for our merit: the public, for our luck. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The world more often rewards the appearances of merit than merit itself. — 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
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
The art of putting into play mediocre qualities often begets more reputation than is achieved by true merit. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our merit gains us the esteem of the virtuous-our star that of the public. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends. — 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
Confidence always pleases those who receive it. It is a tribute we pay to their merit, a deposit we commit to their… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The contempt of riches in the philosophers was a concealed desire of revenging on fortune the injustice done to their merit, by… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Love, all agreeable as it is, charms more by the fashion in which it displays itself, than by its own true merit. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Moderation is caused by the fear of exciting the envy and contempt which those merit who are intoxicated with their good fortune;… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are people who in spite of their merit disgust us and others who please us in spite of their faults. — 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
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
