We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our virtues are often, in reality, no better than vices disguised. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Fortune makes our virtues and vices visible, just as light does the objects of sight. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
When our vices leave us, we like to imagine it is we who are leaving them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Vices are ingredients of virtues just as poisons are ingredients of remedies. Prudence mixes and tempers them and uses them effectively against… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Nature seems at each man's birth to have marked out the bounds of his virtues and vices, and to have determined how… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There are a great many men valued in society who have nothing to recommend them but serviceable vices. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We often credit ourselves with vices the reverse of what we have, thus when weak we boast of our obstinacy. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It may be said that the vices await us in the journey of life like hosts with whom we must successively lodge;… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Whilst weakness and timidity keep us to our duty, virtue has often all the honor. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What often prevents our abandoning ourselves to a single vice is, our having more than one. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
When our vices desert us, we flatter ourselves that we are deserting our vices. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
High fortune makes both our virtues and vices stand out as objects that are brought clearly to view by the light. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Self-love, as it happens to be well or ill conducted, constitutes virtue and vice. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The vices enter into the composition of the virtues, as poisons into that of medicines. Prudence collects and arranges them, and uses… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Humility is often only the putting on of a submissiveness by which men hope to bring other people to submit to them;… — 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
