--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Too great refinement is false delicacy…" description: "\"Too great refinement is false delicacy, and true delicacy is solid refinement.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_comparison_too-great-refinement-is-false-delicacy-a_1294171.png" --- # Too great refinement is false delicacy, and true delicacy… ![“Too great refinement is false delicacy, and true delicacy is solid refinement.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_comparison_too-great-refinement-is-false-delicacy-a_1294171.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_comparison_too-great-refinement-is-false-delicacy-a_1294171.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_comparison_too-great-refinement-is-false-delicacy-a_1294171.png) > “Too great refinement is false delicacy, and true delicacy is solid refinement.” [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive refinement can become pretentious, while genuine delicacy is grounded and authentic. **In simple terms:** True elegance is solid, not flimsy. Key Takeaway Value substance over showy finesse. Themes authenticity refinement values Mood thoughtful analytical Type aphilosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal relationships - design - culinary arts - fashion - leadership Key Concepts philosophy aesthetics integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish genuine refinement from affectation? - When does refinement become a barrier? A Different Perspective May be misinterpreted as criticism of subtlety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comparison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparison/) [Delicacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delicacy/) [Delicacy Solid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delicacy-solid-4226141/) [Delicacy True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delicacy-true-1374519/) [False Delicacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-delicacy-685136/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Refinement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refinement/) [Refinement False](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refinement-false-4226140/) [Solid Refinement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solid-refinement-4226142/) ## Related quotes > [Too great cleverness is but deceptive delicacy, true delicacy is the most substantial cleverness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/too-great-cleverness-is-but-deceptive-delicacy-true-delicacy-is-the/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Delicacy - a sad, sad false delicacy - robs literature of the two best things among its belongings: Family-circle narratives and obscene stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/delicacy-a-sad-sad-false-delicacy-robs-literature-of-the-two-best/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [True delicacy, as true generosity, is more wounded by an offence from itself--if I may be allowed the expression--than to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/true-delicacy-as-true-generosity-is-more-wounded-by-an-offence-from/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [HOG, n. A bird remarkable for the catholicity of its appetite and serving to illustrate that of ours. Among the Mahometans and Jews, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hog-n-a-bird-remarkable-for-the-catholicity-of-its-appetite-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [My love affair with nature is so deep that I am not satisfied with being a mere onlooker, or nature tourist. I crave a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euell-gibbons/my-love-affair-with-nature-is-so-deep-that-i-am-not-satisfied-with/) [Euell Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euell-gibbons/) > [If you could choose to master a single ingredient, no choice would teach you more about cooking than the egg. It is an end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruhlman/if-you-could-choose-to-master-a-single-ingredient-no-choice-would/) [Michael Ruhlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruhlman/) > [A sandwich and a cup of coffee, and then off to violin-land, where all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/a-sandwich-and-a-cup-of-coffee-and-then-off-to-violin-land-where-all/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [An oyster, that marvel of delicacy, that concentration of sapid excellence, that mouthful bwefore all other mouthfuls, who first had faith to believe it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/an-oyster-that-marvel-of-delicacy-that-concentration-of-sapid/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [To see the butcher slap the steak before he laid it on the block, and give his knife a sharpening, was to forget breakfast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/to-see-the-butcher-slap-the-steak-before-he-laid-it-on-the-block-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Delicacy of taste has the same effect as delicacy of passion; it enlarges the sphere both of our happiness and our misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/delicacy-of-taste-has-the-same-effect-as-delicacy-of-passion-it/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“...there is a delicacy in it equalled only by the daintiness of the elephant's trunk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/there-is-a-delicacy-in-it-equalled-only-by-the-daintiness-of-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [If my opinion is of any worth, the fieldfare is the greatest delicacy among birds, the hare among quadrupeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martial/if-my-opinion-is-of-any-worth-the-fieldfare-is-the-greatest-delicacy/) [Martial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martial/) > [In the end things must be as they are and have always been--the great things remain for the great, the abysses for the profound,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-end-things-must-be-as-they-are-and-have-always-been-the-great/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Mr. Bumpy from Bump in the Night was this funky little guy who lived under the bed and thought eating dust bunnies was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/mr-bumpy-from-bump-in-the-night-was-this-funky-little-guy-who-lived/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I decided to lock myself in. A forced segregation. Sabbatical. A retreat into myself. My selves. Play hide and go seek in the looking-glass.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/i-decided-to-lock-myself-in-a-forced-segregation-sabbatical-a-retreat/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) ## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Comparison quotes > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 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