Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes
French - Writer September 15, 1613 - March 17, 1680


True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about and few have seen.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

People's personalities, like buildings, have various facades, some pleasant to view, some not.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

However rare true love may be, it is less so than true friendship.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Jealousy contains more of self-love than of love.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

One forgives to the degree that one loves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There is only one kind of love, but there are a thousand imitations.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The principal point of cleverness is to know how to value things just as they deserve.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Mediocre minds usually dismiss anything which reaches beyond their own understanding.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Jealousy lives upon doubts. It becomes madness or ceases entirely as soon as we pass from doubt to certainty.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Politeness is a desire to be treated politely, and to be esteemed polite oneself.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

It is not enough to have great qualities; We should also have the management of them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The moderation of people in prosperity is the effect of a smooth and composed temper, owing to the calm of their good fortune.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Old people love to give good advice; it compensates them for their inability to set a bad example.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

What men have called friendship is only a social arrangement, a mutual adjustment of interests, an interchange of services given and received; it is, in sum, simply a business from which those involved propose to derive a steady profit for their own self-love.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Old men are fond of giving good advice to console themselves for their inability to give bad examples.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Ridicule dishonors a man more than dishonor does.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

If we resist our passions, it is more due to their weakness than our strength.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

A man's worth has its season, like fruit.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Moderation is the feebleness and sloth of the soul, whereas ambition is the warmth and activity of it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

It is easier to appear worthy of a position one does not hold, than of the office which one fills.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

When we are in love we often doubt that which we most believe.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Quarrels would not last long if the fault was only on one side.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The intellect is always fooled by the heart.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Flattery is a kind of bad money, to which our vanity gives us currency.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
M
There are very few people who are not ashamed of having been in love when they no longer love each other.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

One is never fortunate or as unfortunate as one imagines.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The one thing people are the most liberal with, is their advice.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

In the human heart new passions are forever being born; the overthrow of one almost always means the rise of another.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The passions are the only orators which always persuade.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The only thing that should surprise us is that there are still some things that can surprise us.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The accent of one's birthplace remains in the mind and in the heart as in one's speech.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Too great haste to repay an obligation is a kind of ingratitude.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body; after all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind, and they are in continual danger of breaking the skin and bursting out again.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We have no patience with other people's vanity because it is offensive to our own.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We pardon to the extent that we love.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

You can find women who have never had an affair, but it is hard to find a woman who has had just one.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

When our vices leave us, we like to imagine it is we who are leaving them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

What we call generosity is for the most part only the vanity of giving; and we exercise it because we are more fond of that vanity than of the thing we give.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Those who occupy their minds with small matters, generally become incapable of greatness.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Perfect behavior is born of complete indifference.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are so used to dissembling with others that in time we come to deceive and dissemble with ourselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Nothing is so contagious as example; and we never do any great good or evil which does not produce its like.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are more interested in making others believe we are happy than in trying to be happy ourselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

People that are conceited of their own merit take pride in being unfortunate, that themselves and others may think them considerable enough to be the envy and the mark of fortune.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

When a man must force himself to be faithful in his love, this is hardly better than unfaithfulness.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Men give away nothing so liberally as their advice.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We give advice, but we cannot give the wisdom to profit by it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Women's virtue is frequently nothing but a regard to their own quiet and a tenderness for their reputation.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Self-interest makes some people blind, and others sharp-sighted.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We get so much in the habit of wearing disguises before others that we finally appear disguised before ourselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Silence is the safest course for any man to adopt who distrust himself.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Heat of blood makes young people change their inclinations often, and habit makes old ones keep to theirs a great while.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

In the misfortunes of our best friends we always find something not altogether displeasing to us.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

No man deserves to be praised for his goodness, who has it not in his power to be wicked. Goodness without that power is generally nothing more than sloth, or an impotence of will.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Hope, deceiving as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable route.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The sure mark of one born with noble qualities is being born without envy.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There is a kind of elevation which does not depend on fortune; it is a certain air which distinguishes us, and seems to destine us for great things; it is a price which we imperceptibly set upon ourselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Jealously is always born with love but it does not die with it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

If we did not flatter ourselves, the flattery of others could never harm us.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Innocence does not find near so much protection as guilt.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are sometimes as different from ourselves as we are from others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Our actions seem to have their lucky and unlucky stars, to which a great part of that blame and that commendation is due which is given to the actions themselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

On neither the sun, nor death, can a man look fixedly.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Everyone complains of his memory, and nobody complains of his judgment.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

A wise man thinks it more advantageous not to join the battle than to win.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Neither the sun nor death can be looked at with a steady eye.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We seldom find people ungrateful so long as it is thought we can serve them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

When we disclaim praise, it is only showing our desire to be praised a second time.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Our virtues are often, in reality, no better than vices disguised.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Many men are contemptuous of riches; few can give them away.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

It is not in the power of even the most crafty dissimulation to conceal love long, where it really is, nor to counterfeit it long where it is not.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

It is a great act of cleverness to be able to conceal one's being clever.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There is no better proof of a man's being truly good than his desiring to be constantly under the observation of good men.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are nearer loving those who hate us than those who love us more than we wish.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

It takes nearly as much ability to know how to profit by good advice as to know how to act for one's self.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The surest way to be deceived is to consider oneself cleverer than others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

I have always been an admirer. I regard the gift of admiration as indispensable if one is to amount to something; I don't know where I would be without it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may be useful to us; and the other, from pride which comes from the wish to know what others are ignorant of.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Confidence contributes more to conversation than wit.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Repentance is not so much remorse for what we have done as the fear of the consequences.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

In all professions each affects a look and an exterior to appear what he wishes the world to believe that he is. Thus we may say that the whole world is made up of appearances.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The happiness and misery of men depend no less on temper than fortune.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Being a blockhead is sometimes the best security against being cheated by a man of wit.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

A great many men's gratitude is nothing but a secret desire to hook in more valuable kindnesses hereafter.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Whatever good things people say of us, they tell us nothing new.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Most of our faults are more pardonable than the means we use to conceal them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are more often treacherous through weakness than through calculation.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

No man is clever enough to know all the evil he does.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We are strong enough to bear the misfortunes of others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We would rather speak ill of ourselves than not talk about ourselves at all.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Why can we remember the tiniest detail that has happened to us, and not remember how many times we have told it to the same person.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Never give anyone the advice to buy or sell shares, because the most benevolent price of advice can turn out badly.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

To know how to hide one's ability is great skill.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We should often feel ashamed of our best actions if the world could see all the motives which produced them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There are bad people who would be less dangerous if they were quite devoid of goodness.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The heart is forever making the head its fool.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

All the passions make us commit faults; love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The reason that lovers never weary each other is because they are always talking about themselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We always love those who admire us, but we do not always love those whom we admire.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We only acknowledge small faults in order to make it appear that we are free from great ones.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person?
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

What is called generosity is usually only the vanity of giving; we enjoy the vanity more than the thing given.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

How can we expect another to keep our secret if we have been unable to keep it ourselves?
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

In love we often doubt what we most believe.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Funeral pomp is more for the vanity of the living than for the honor of the dead.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

As one grows older, one becomes wiser and more foolish.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Old age is a tyrant, who forbids, under pain of death, the pleasures of youth.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The reason why so few people are agreeable in conversation is that each is thinking more about what he intends to say than others are saying.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We seldom find any person of good sense, except those who share our opinions.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

If we had no faults of our own, we should not take so much pleasure in noticing those in others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

If it were not for the company of fools, a witty man would often be greatly at a loss.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Usually we praise only to be praised.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We only confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no big ones.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

To achieve greatness one should live as if they will never die.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Decency is the least of all laws, but yet it is the law which is most strictly observed.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Gracefulness is to the body what understanding is to the mind.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

If we are to judge of love by its consequences, it more nearly resembles hatred than friendship.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Great souls are not those who have fewer passions and more virtues than others, but only those who have greater designs.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

In most of mankind gratitude is merely a secret hope of further favors.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

It is easier to know men in general, than men in particular.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The mind is always the patsy of the heart.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Few things are impracticable in themselves; and it is for want of application, rather than of means, that men fail to succeed.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We all have enough strength to endure the misfortunes of others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Timidity is a fault for which it is dangerous to reprove persons whom we wish to correct of it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Taste may change, but inclination never.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Perfect Valor is to do, without a witness, all that we could do before the whole world.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld