22 Quotes By Francois la Rochefoucauld


To establish ourselves in the world, we have to do all we can to appear established. To succeed in the world, we do everything we can to appear successful.
Francois la Rochefoucauld on success

Ability wins us the esteem of the true men; luck that of the people.
François La Rochefoucauld on ability

There is great ability in knowing how to conveal one's ability.
François La Rochefoucauld on ability

Absence cools moderate passions, and inflames violent ones; just as the wind blows out candles, but kindles fires.
François La Rochefoucauld on absence

Age is a tyrant, who forbids, at the penalty of life, all the pleasures of youth.
François La Rochefoucauld on age

Avarice is more directly opposed to thrift than generosity is.
François La Rochefoucauld on avarice

The passions do very often give birth to others of a nature most contrary to their own. Thus avarice sometimes brings forth prodigality, and prodigality avarice; a man’s resolution is very often the effect of levity, and his boldness that of cowardice and fear.
François La Rochefoucauld on boldness

We often forgive those who bore us, but we cannot forgive those whom we bore.
François La Rochefoucauld on bore

Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone.
François La Rochefoucauld on courage

Cunning and treachery are the offspring of incapacity.
François La Rochefoucauld on cunning

Our envy always lasts longer than the happiness of those we envy.
François La Rochefoucauld on envy

It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
François La Rochefoucauld on friendship

Plenty of people wish to become devout, but no one wishes to be humble.
François La Rochefoucauld on humility

There is only one sort of love, but there are a thousand copies.
François La Rochefoucauld on love

True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen.
François La Rochefoucauld on love

Sometimes we are less unhappy in being deceived by those we love, than in being undeceived by them.
François La Rochefoucauld on love

There may be good, but there are no pleasant marriages.
François La Rochefoucauld on marriage

Moderation has been called a virtue to limit the ambition of great men, and to console undistinguished people for their want of fortune and their lack of merit.
François La Rochefoucauld on moderation

Philosophy triumphs easily over past and future evils; but present evils triumph over it.
François La Rochefoucauld on philosophy

The virtues are lost in self-interest as rivers are lost in the sea.
François La Rochefoucauld on selfishness