François de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

We are never as unhappy as we think, nor as happy has we had hoped

XXXII. — Kings do with men as with pieces of money; they make them bear what value they will, and one is forced to receive them according to their currency value, and not at their true worth. (1665, No. 165.)

Small minds are hurt by the smallest things

Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others

Hay en los celos más amor propio que amor.

L'homme croit souvent se conduire lorsqu'il est conduit; et pendant que par son esprit il tend à un but, son coeur l'entraîne insensiblement à un autre.

Although men flatter themselves with their great actions, they are not so often the result of a great design as of chance.

De toutes les passions violentes, celle qui sied le moins mal aux femmes, c'est l'amour.

Those who most obstinately oppose the most widely-held opinions more often do so because of pride than lack of intelligence. They find the best places in the right set already taken, and they do not want back seats.

We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us.

C'est une ennuyeuse maladie que de conserver sa santé par un trop grand régime.

La sincérité est une ouverture de coeur. On la trouve en fort peu de gens; et celle que l'on voit d'ordinaire n'est qu'une fine dissimulation pour attirer la confiance des autres.

Quelque rare que soit le véritable amour, il l’est encore moins que la véritable amitié.

As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing.

Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps, si le tort n'était que d'un côté.