French author (1613-1680)
The love of justice is, in most men, nothing more than the fear of suffering injustice.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Sentences et Maximes Morales
Hypocrisy is the homage of vice to virtue.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Before we passionately desire a thing, we should examine the happiness of its possessor.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
It is our own vanity that makes the vanity of others intolerable to us.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Maxims
The art of being able to make a good use of moderate abilities wins esteem and often confers more reputation than real merit.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
Passions often produce their contraries: avarice sometimes leads to prodigality, and prodigality to avarice; we are often obstinate through weakness and daring through timidity.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
We often glory in the most criminal passions; but envy is a shameful passion we never dare own.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
To be a great man one should know how to profit by every phase of fortune.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
Those who apply themselves too much to little things commonly become incapable of great ones.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
We may appear great in an employment below our merit; but we often appear little in an employment that is too great for us.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Some weak people are sensible of their weakness and able to make good use of it.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Those who have had great passions often find all their lives made miserable in being cured of them.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
The surest way to be deceived is to think oneself more clever than others.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Maxims
Men are more satirical from vanity than from malice.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Maxims
Sometimes we meet a fool with wit, never one with discretion.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils; but present evils triumph over it.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
We sometimes condemn the present, by praising the past; and show our contempt of what is now, by our esteem for what is no more.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
There are crimes which become innocent, and even glorious, through their splendor, number, and excess: Hence it is, that public theft is called Address, and to seize on Provinces unjustly, to make Conquests.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
We should manage our fortune as our constitution; enjoy it when good, have patience when 'tis bad, and never apply violent remedies but in cases of necessity.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims