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 - quoted in O Magazine, October 2002
When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.

The defects of the understanding, like those of the face, grow worse as we grow old.

To be deceived by our enemies or betrayed by our friends in insupportable; yet by ourselves we are often content to be so treated.

Quarrels would not last long if the fault were only on one side.

Nothing is less sincere than our mode of asking and giving advice. He who asks seems to have a deference for the opinion of his friend, while he only aims to get approval of his own and make his friend responsible for his action. And he who gives advice repays the confidence supposed to be placed in him by a seemingly disinterested zeal, while he seldom means anything by his advice but his own interest or reputation.

To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.

We should often be ashamed of our finest actions if the world understood our motives.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Reflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales
The most dangerous folly of old people who were once attractive is to forget that they are not so any longer.

Hypocrisy is the homage which vice pays to virtue.

To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.

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

If we had no faults of our own, we would not take so much pleasure in noticing those of others.

When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.

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?

Preserving health by too severe a rule is a worrisome malady.

To establish oneself in the world, one has to do all one can to appear established.

Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy those are who already possess it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Reflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales
There are very few women in society whose virtue outlasts their beauty.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Reflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales
The sort of liveliness which increases with age is not far distant from madness.

We should manage our fortunes as we do our health - enjoy it when good, be patient when it is bad, and never apply violent remedies except in an extreme necessity.

Few are agreeable in conversation, because each thinks of what he intends to say than of what others are saying, and listens no more when he himself has a chance to speak.

We often do good in order that we may do evil with impunity.

Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.

It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.

We often forgive those who bore us, but we cannot forgive those whom we bore.

Jealousy feeds upon suspicion, and it turns into fury or it ends as soon as we pass from suspicion to certainty.

Small minds are much distressed by little things. Great minds see them all but are not upset by them.

In jealousy there is more of self-love, than of love to another.

The truest mark of being born with great qualities, is being born without envy.

He who lives without folly is not so wise as he imagines.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Maximes (1678)
We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us.

The glory of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it.

Confidence contributes more to conversation than wit.

We always like those who admire us; we do not always like those whom we admire.

We are more interested in making others believe we are happy than in trying to be happy ourselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Reflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales
The man whom no one pleases is much more unhappy than the man who pleases no one.

Minds of moderate caliber ordinarily condemn everything which is beyond their range.

The pleasure of love is in loving.

Vanity makes us do more things against inclination than reason.

When we are unable to find tranquillity within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.

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

Our repentance is not so much regret for the ill we have done as fear of the ill that may happen to us in consequence.

We all have strength enough to endure the misfortunes of others.

Not all those who know their minds know their hearts as well.

Pride does not wish to owe and vanity does not wish to pay.

The height of cleverness is to be able to conceal it.

The confidence which we have in ourselves gives birth to much of that which we have in others.

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

We think very few people sensible, except those who are of our opinion.

No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.

We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones.

Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils; but present evils triumph over it.

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

The mind cannot long act the role of the heart.

- Francois de La Rochefoucauld