Quotes

“If there be a love pure and free from the admixture of our other passions, it is that which lies hidden in the bottom of our heart, and which we know not ourselves.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“What keeps us from abandoning ourselves entirely to one vice, often, is the fact that we have several.” 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

“They that apply themselves to trifling matters commonly become incapable of great ones.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“It's the height of folly to want to be the only wise one.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“We should often blush for our very best actions, if the world did but see all the motives upon which they were done.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“If we have not peace within ourselves, it is in vain to seek it from outward sources.” 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“We always get bored with those whom we bore.” 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

“Men give away nothing so liberally as their advice.” 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

“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

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

“Too great haste to repay an obligation is a kind of ingratitude.” 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

“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

“We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them.” 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

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