--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Virtue would go far if vanity did not…" description: "\"“Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company. Francois de La Rochefoucauld”\" — Gabriela Popa" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/gabriela-popa-238724_business_virtue-would-go-far-if-vanity-did-not-ke_459612.jpg" --- # Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company… ![“Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company. Francois de La Rochefoucauld” quote by Gabriela Popa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/gabriela-popa-238724_business_virtue-would-go-far-if-vanity-did-not-ke_459612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/gabriela-popa-238724_business_virtue-would-go-far-if-vanity-did-not-ke_459612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/gabriela-popa-238724_business_virtue-would-go-far-if-vanity-did-not-ke_459612.jpg) > ““Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company. Francois de La Rochefoucauld”” Gabriela Popa ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Vanity hinders virtue's progress, showing how self‑importance can corrupt moral excellence **In simple terms:** Vanity blocks virtue Key Takeaway Beware pride that undermines goodness Themes virtue vanity pride morality self‑awareness Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type Business:0 Pride:1 Vanity:1 Virtue:1 La Rochefoucauld:0 Far Vanity:0 Virtue Far:0 When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - ethical decision‑making - cultural critique - literary analysis Key Concepts ethical philosophy human nature self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - How does pride affect your ethical choices? - Can humility strengthen virtue? A Different Perspective Virtue may falter when ego dominates;pride can erode moral integrity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/la-rochefoucauld/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/virtue-would-go-far-if-vanity-did-not-keep-it-company/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Virtue would not go so far if vanity did not keep it company.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-rocherfoucauld/virtue-would-not-go-so-far-if-vanity-did-not-keep-it-company/) La Rocherfoucauld > [Most of us would be far enough from vanity if we heard all the things that are said about us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rickaby/most-of-us-would-be-far-enough-from-vanity-if-we-heard-all-the-things/) Joseph Rickaby > [Courage is a virtue only so far as it is directed by prudence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/courage-is-a-virtue-only-so-far-as-it-is-directed-by-prudence/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Yes, well, let me tell you that if nobody had ever learned to quote, very few people would be in love with La Rochefoucauld.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/yes-well-let-me-tell-you-that-if-nobody-had-ever-learned-to-quote/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires. - Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/absence-diminishes-mediocre-passions-and-increases-great-ones-as-the-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A great man once wrote, "Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and blows up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-white/a-great-man-once-wrote-absence-diminishes-small-loves-and-increases/) [Karen White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-white/) > [“The offerings of Machiavelli (1469–1527), Guicciardini (1483–1540), La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) and La Bruyère (1645–96) give us an indication of the manoeuvres that workers may,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-offerings-of-machiavelli-1469-1527-guicciardini-1483-1540-la/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Conservatives are often fond of La Rochefoucauld's famous aphorism that 'Hypocrisy is a tribute that vice pays to virtue,' and so tend to downplay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/conservatives-are-often-fond-of-la-rochefoucauld-s-famous-aphorism/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Unlike the majority of the writers of his age, La Rochefoucauld was an aristocrat; and this fact gives a peculiar tone to his work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lytton-strachey/unlike-the-majority-of-the-writers-of-his-age-la-rochefoucauld-was-an/) [Lytton Strachey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lytton-strachey/) > [“We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others, that in the end, we become disguised to ourselves. — FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-so-accustomed-to-disguise-ourselves-to-others-that-in-the-end/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In literature, too, we admire prose in which a small and astutely arranged set of words has been constructed to carry a large consignment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/in-literature-too-we-admire-prose-in-which-a-small-and-astutely/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“How is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-duc-de-la-rochefoucauld/how-is-it-that-our-memory-is-good-enough-to-retain-the-least/) [Francois Duc De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-duc-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“We are more interested in making others believe we are happy than in trying to be happy ourselves. —FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-sasaki/we-are-more-interested-in-making-others-believe-we-are-happy-than-in/) [Fumio Sasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-sasaki/) > [Poor people know poor people, and rich people know rich people. 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