“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.” — François de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Avarice misapprehends itself almost always. There is no passion which more often will miss its aim, nor upon which the present has… — 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
Women can more easily conquer their passion than their coquetterie. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We should desire very few things passionately if we did but perfectly know the nature of the things we desire. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The passions possess a certain injustice and self interest which makes it dangerous to follow them, and in reality we should distrust… — 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
L'absence diminue les mediocres passions, et augmente les grandes,comme le vent eteint les bougies, et allume le feu. Absence diminishes commonplace passions,… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The most violent passions sometimes leave us at rest, but vanity agitates us constantly. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
No matter how much care we put into hiding our passions under the appearances of devotion and honor, they can always be… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The passions are the only orators which always persuade. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Passion very often makes the wisest men fools, and very often too inspires the greatest fools with wit. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Those great and glorious actions that dazzle our eyes with their luster are represented by statesmen as the result of great wisdomand… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We often pride ourselves on even the most criminal passions, but envy is a timid and shamefaced passion we never dare to… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The health of the soul is as precarious as that of the body; for when we seem secure from passions, we are… — 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
In the human heart there is a ceaseless birth of passions, so that the destruction of one is almost always the establishment… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Absence abates a moderate passion and intensifies a great one - as the wind blows out a candle but fans fire into… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Spiritual health is no more stable than bodily; and though we may seem unaffected by the passions we are just as liable… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Jealousy is bred in doubts. When those doubts change into certainties, then the passion either ceases or turns absolute madness. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Passions often produce their contraries: avarice sometimes leads to prodigality, and prodigality to avarice; we are often obstinate through weakness and daring… — 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
A man often thinks he rules himself, when all the while he is ruled and managed; and while his understanding directs one… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The simplest man with passion will be more persuasive than the most eloquent without. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Some men are so full of themselves that when they fall in love, they amuse themselves rather with their own passion than… — 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
