Women find it far more difficult to overcome their inclination to coquetry than to overcome their love. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Coquetry Copy Share Image
We often make use of envenomed praise, that reveals on the rebound, as it were, defects in those praised which we dare… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Criticism Copy Share Image
We often select envenomed praise which, by a reaction upon those we praise, shows faults we could not have shown by other… — 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
Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Achievements Copy Share Image
We are so used to dissembling with others that in time we come to deceive and dissemble with ourselves. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Listening well and answering well is one of the greatest perfections that can be obtained in conversation. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Communication Copy Share Image
We may say of agreeableness, as distinct from beauty, that it is a symmetry whose rules are unknown. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The accent of a man's native country remains in his mind and his heart, as it does in his speech. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is a common fault never to be satisfied with our fortune, nor dissatisfied with our understanding. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
In great affairs we ought to apply ourselves less to creating chances than to profiting from those that offer. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Affair Copy Share Image
It is with certain good qualities as with the senses; those who have them not can neither appreciate nor comprehend them in… — 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
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 Birth Copy Share Image
If we had no faults, we would not derive so much pleasure from noting those of other people. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Failure Copy Share Image
Sometimes there are accidents in our lives the skillful extrication from which demands a little folly. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Accidents Copy Share Image
He who imagines he can do without the world deceives himself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The most sure method of subjecting yourself to be deceived is to consider yourself more cunning than others. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
The reason why most women have so little sense of friendship is that this is but a cold and flat passion to… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Cold Copy Share Image
We should wish for few things with eagerness, if we perfectly knew the nature of that which was the object of our… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Desire Copy Share Image
In misfortune we often mistake dejection for constancy; we bear it without daring to look on it; like cowards, who suffer themselves… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Bears Copy Share Image
It is necessary, in order to know things well, to know the particulars of them; and these, being infinite, make our knowledge… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Nature has concealed at the bottom of our minds talents and abilities of which we are not aware. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Ability Copy Share Image
It often happens that things come into the mind in a more finished form than could have been achieved after much study. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Eloquence resides as much in the tone of voice, in the eyes, and in the expression of the face, as in the… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Choices 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
Love can no more continue without a constant motion than fire can; and when once you take hope and fear away, you… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What renders us so changeable in our friendship is, that it is difficult to know the qualities of the soul, but easy… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
What keeps us from abandoning ourselves entirely to one vice, often, is the fact that we have several. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Nothing ought more to humiliate men who have merited great praise than the care they still take to boast of little things. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Boast Copy Share Image
We are more interested in making others believe we are happy than in trying to be happy ourselves. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Timidity is a fault for which it is dangerous to reprove persons whom we wish to correct of it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Our repentances are generally not so much a concern and remorse for the harm we have done, as a fear of the… — 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 Advice Copy Share Image
The moderation of people in prosperity is the effect of a smooth and composed temper, owing to the calm of their good… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Calm Copy Share Image
The duration of our passions is no more dependent on ourselves than the duration of our lives. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
It is much better to learn to deal with the ills we have now than to speculate on those that may befall… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
If it requires great tact to speak to the purpose, it requires no less to know when to be silent. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Copy Share Image
Clemency, which we make a virtue of, proceeds sometimes from vanity, sometimes from indolence, often from fear, and almost always from a… — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Clemency Copy Share Image
Women's virtue is frequently nothing but a regard to their own quiet and a tenderness for their reputation. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld Character Copy Share Image
