Pity is often a reflection of our own evils in the ills of others. It is a delicate foresight of the troubles… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We should often feel ashamed of our best actions if the world could see all the motives which produced them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Ashamed Copy Share Image
It is more often from pride than from ignorance that we are so obstinately opposed to current opinions; we find the first… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Acceptance Copy Share Image
It is as easy to deceive one's self without perceiving it, as it is difficult to deceive others without their finding out. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Deceit Copy Share Image
The best way to rise in society is to use all possible means of persuading people that one has already risen in… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Best way Copy Share Image
The grace of novelty and the length of habit, though so very opposite to one another, yet agree in this, that they… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We sometimes condemn the present, by praising the past; and show our contempt of what is now, by our esteem for what… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Contempt Copy Share Image
Imagination could never invent the number of different contradictions that exist innately in each person's heart. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Contradiction Copy Share Image
Unfaithfulness ought to extinguish love, and we should not be jealous when there is reason to be. Only those who give no… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Being jealous Copy Share Image
A man seldom finds people unthankful, as long as he remains in a condition of benefiting them further. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
To praise princes for virtues they do not possess is to insult them without fear of consequences. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Character Copy Share Image
People's personalities, like buildings, have various facades, some pleasant to view, some not. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Engineering Copy Share Image
The generality of friends puts us out of conceit with friendship; just as the generality of religious people puts us out of… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Conceit Copy Share Image
Love has its name borrowed by a great number of dealings and affairs that are attributed to it--in which it has no… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Affair Copy Share Image
In friendship as well as love, ignorance very often contributes more to our happiness than knowledge. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Friendship 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 Doubts Copy Share Image
Our greediness so often troubles us, making us run after so many things at the same time, that while we too eagerly… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Greediness Copy Share Image
A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Disguise Copy Share Image
There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Crime Copy Share Image
The extreme delight we experience in talking about ourselves should warn us that those who listen do not share it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Delight Copy Share Image
We may seem great in an employment below our worth, but we very often look little in one that is too big… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Employment Copy Share Image
A person well satisfied with themselves is seldom satisfied with others, and others, rarely are with them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Ashamed Copy Share Image
If we took as much pains to be what we ought, as we do to deceive others by disguising what we are;… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Moderation is represented as a virtue in order to restrain the ambition of great men, and to console those of a meaner… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Ambition Copy Share Image
Sincerity is an openness of heart; we find it in very few people; what we usually see is only an artful dissimulation… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Confidence Copy Share Image
The moderation of fortunate people comes from the calm which good fortune gives to their tempers. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Calm Copy Share Image
If one judges love according to the greatest part of the effects it produces, it would appear to resemble rather hatred than… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The shame that arises from praise which we do not deserve often makes us do things we should otherwise never have attempted. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
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 Acting Copy Share Image
The better part of one's life consists of his friendships. ABRAHAM LINCOLN, letter to Joseph Gillespie, July 13, 1849 Friendship is insipid… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Abraham Copy Share Image
The man who leaves a woman best pleased with herself is the one whom she will soonest wish to see. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Feminism Copy Share Image
It is often laziness and timidity that keep us within our duty while virtue gets all the credit. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Character Copy Share Image
There are fine things that are more brilliant when they are unfinished than when finished too much. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Beauty Copy Share Image
As it is the mark of great minds to say many things in a few words, so it is that of little… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We frequently do good in order to enable us to do evil later with impunity exemption of punishment. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Evil Copy Share Image
The temperament that produces a talent for little things is the opposite of that required for great ones. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The force we use on ourselves, to prevent ourselves from loving, is often more cruel than the severest treatment at the hands… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
We should scarcely desire things ardently if we were perfectly acquainted with what we desire. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Desire Copy Share Image
