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We only acknowledge small faults in order to make it appear that we are free from great ones.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Age: 66 †
Born: 1613
Born: September 15
Died: 1680
Died: March 17
Memoirist
Military Personnel
Writer
Paris
France
François VI
Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Prince de Marcillac
François
Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Small
Free
Inspirational
Order
Acknowledge
Great
Appear
Make
Faults
Blame
Ones
More quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Those great and glorious actions that dazzle our eyes with their luster are represented by statesmen as the result of great wisdomand excellent design whereas, in truth, they are commonly the effects of the humors and passions.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
In all professions each affects a look and an exterior to appear what he wishes the world to believe that he is. Thus we may say that the whole world is made up of appearances.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
One thing which makes us find so few people who appear reasonable and agreeable in conversation is, that there is scarcely any one who does not think more of what he is about to say than of answering precisely what is said to him.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Old age is a tyrant, who forbids, under pain of death, the pleasures of youth.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
There are certain defects which, well-mounted, glitter like virtue itself.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The health of the soul is as precarious as that of the body for when we seem secure from passions, we are no less in danger of their infection than we are of falling ill when we appear to be well.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Our wisdom lies as much at the mercy of fortune as our possessions do.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
No one thinks fortune so blind as those she has been least kind to.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
A readiness to believe ill of others, before we have duly examined it, is the effect of laziness and pride. We are eager to find aculprit, and loath to give ourselves the trouble of examining the crime.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Our minds are as much given to laziness as our bodies.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
If we are to judge of love by its consequences, it more nearly resembles hatred than friendship.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The judgments our enemies make about us come nearer to the truth than those we make about ourselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Our merit gains us the esteem of the virtuous-our star that of the public.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The greater part of mankind judge of men only by their fashionableness or their fortune.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
However greatly we distrust the sincerity of those we converse with, yet still we think they tell more truth to us than to anyone else.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The moderation of fortunate people comes from the calm which good fortune gives to their tempers.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Affected simplicity is a subtle imposture.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The passions are the only orators that always persuade: they are, as it were, a natural art, the rules of which are infallible and the simplest man with passion is more persuasive than the most eloquent without it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We feel good and ill only in proportion to our self-love.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
