Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

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

Small, Become, Minds

We are never so ridiculous through what we are as through what we pretend to be.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Through, Ridiculous, Pretend

We promise in proportion to our hopes, and we deliver in proportion to our fears.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Promise, Hopes, Fears

However greatly we distrust the sincerity of those we converse with, yet still we think they tell more truth to us than to anyone else.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Truth, Else, Tell

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

Others, Pleasure, Faults

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

Perfect, Born, Behavior

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

There are very few things impossible in themselves; and we do not want means to conquer difficulties so much as application and resolution in the use of means.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Impossible, Means, Few

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

Keep, Far, Company

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

Love, Makes, Ridiculous

What seems to be generosity is often no more than disguised ambition, which overlooks a small interest in order to secure a great one.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Great, Small, Ambition

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

Desire, Praise, Twice

It is almost always a fault of one who loves not to realize when he ceases to be loved.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Loved, Realize, Almost

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

Office, Hold, Position

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

Long, Last, Side

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

Women, Woman, Hard

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

Point, Value, Deserve

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

Patience, Vanity, Offensive

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

Great, Men, Gratitude

A work can become modern only if it is first postmodern. Postmodernism thus understood is not modernism at its end but in the nascent state, and this state is constant.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Work, End, Become

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

Love, Doubt, Often

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

Silence, Himself, Distrust

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

Heart, Fooled, Intellect

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

Everyone, Memory, Nobody

However glorious an action in itself, it ought not to pass for great if it be not the effect of wisdom and intention.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Great, Wisdom, Action

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Biography

Nationality: French

Type: Writer

Born: September 15, 1613

Died: March 17, 1680

Links

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Cite this Page: Citation

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