François de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

The greatest effort of friendship is not to show our faults to a friend, but to show him his own.

He who lives without folly is not as wise as he may think.

In all aspects of life, we take on a part and an appearance to seem to be what we wish to be — and thus the world is merely composed of actors.

Some people's faults are becoming to them; others are disgraced by their own good traits.

Some follies can be caught, like contagious diseases.

Renewed friendships require more care than those that have never been broken.

We are almost always bored by just those whom we must not find boring.

It is a great ability to be able to conceal one's ability.

La pitié est souvent un sentiment de nos propres maux dans les maux d’autrui. C’est une habile prévoyance des malheurs où nous pouvons tomber; nous donnons du secours aux autres pour les engager à nous donner en de semblables occasions; et ces services que nous leur rendons sont à proprement parler des biens que nous nous faisons à nous-mêmes par avance.

448. — A well-trained mind has less difficulty in submitting to than in guiding an ill-trained mind.

Cunning and treachery are the offspring of incapacity.

Moderation in times of good fortune is merely dread of the humiliating aftermath of excess, or fear of losing what one has

L'accent du pays où l’on est né demeure dans l'esprit et dans le cœur, comme dans le langage.

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

Nul ne mérite d’être loué de bonté, s’il n’a pas la force d’être méchant: toute autre bonté n’est le plus souvent qu’une paresse ou une impuissance de la volonté.