François de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

324. — There is more self-love than love in jealousy.

Imagination could never invent the number of different contradictions that exist innately in each person's heart.

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.

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.

When not prompted by vanity, we say little.

267. — A quickness in believing evil without having sufficiently examined it, is the effect of pride and laziness. We wish to find the guilty, and we do not wish to trouble ourselves in examining the crime.

How comes it that our memories are good enough to retain even the minutest details of what has befallen us, but not to recollect how many times we have recounted to the same person?

437. — We should not judge of a man's merit by his great abilities, but by the use he makes of them.

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

We are never so generous as when giving advice.

As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.

103. — Those who know their minds do not necessarily know their hearts.

We should not be upset that others hide the truth from us, when we hide it so often from ourselves.

It is a kind of happiness to know just how unhappy we could be.

237. — No one should be praised for his goodness if he has not strength enough to be wicked. All other goodness is but too often an idleness or powerlessness of will.