Quotes

“Only the contemptible fear contempt.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“We are easily comforted for the misfortunes of our friends, when those misfortunes give us an occasion of expressing our affection and solicitude.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“Those that have had great passions esteem themselves for the rest of their lives fortunate and unfortunate in being cured of them.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“The desire of talking of ourselves, and showing those faults we do not mind having seen, makes up a good part of our sincerity.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

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

“One can find women who have never had one love affair, but it is rare indeed to find any who have had only one.” 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

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

“It is often laziness and timidity that keep us within our duty while virtue gets all the credit.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“Every one speaks well of his own heart, but no one dares speak well of his own mind.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“We do not praise others, ordinarily, but in order to be praised ourselves.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“There are a great many men valued in society who have nothing to recommend them but serviceable vices.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“There are few virtuous women who are not bored with their trade.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“If we judge love by most of its effects, it resembles rather hatred than affection.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“Fortune converts everything to the advantage of her favorites.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“No men are oftener wrong than those that can least bear to be so.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“We easily forgive our friends those faults that do no affect us ourselves.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“Love can no more continue without a constant motion than fire can; and when once you take hope and fear away, you take from it its very life and being.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“We often pardon those that annoy us, but we cannot pardon those we annoy.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“He is not to pass for a man of reason who stumbles upon reason by chance but he who knows it and can judge it and has a true taste for it.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“When our vices leave us, we like to imagine it is we who are leaving them.” 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

“We are all strong enough to bear other men's misfortunes.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“Men often pass from love to ambition, but they seldom come back again from ambition to love.” 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

“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

“Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“Though nature be ever so generous, yet can she not make a hero alone. Fortune must contribute her part too; and till both concur, the work cannot be perfected.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld