Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Sometimes we lose friends for whose loss our regret is greater than our grief, and others for whom our grief is greater…

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about and few have seen.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

What makes the pain we feel from shame and jealousy so cutting is that vanity can give us no assistance in bearing…

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

Often we are firm from weakness, and audacious from timidity.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Virtues lose themselves in self-interest, as rivers in the sea.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There are few people more convinced of their own genius than those who complain of how stupid they are.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The older a fool is, the worse he is.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means.…

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

In love we often doubt what we most believe.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We always get bored with those whom we bore.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Opportunity makes us known to others, but more to ourselves.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

What is called generosity is usually only the vanity of giving; we enjoy the vanity more than the thing given.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

True bravery means doing alone that which one could do if all the world were by.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Love is one and the same in the original; but there are a thousand different copies of it.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Perhaps being old is having lighted rooms inside your head, and people in them, acting. People you know, yet can't quite name.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Everyone praises his heart, none dare praise their understanding.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Men give away nothing so liberally as their advice.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Preserving the serious health condition is usually painful.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Weakness is the only fault that is incorrigible.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

As one grows older, one becomes wiser and more foolish.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Some beautiful things are more dazzling when they are still imperfect than when they have been too perfectly crafted.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are very far from always knowing our own wishes.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Youth is a continual intoxication; it is the fever of reason

— François De La Rochefoucauld