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That conduct often seems ridiculous the secret reasons of which are wise and solid.
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
Ridiculous
Reasons
Wise
Secret
Often
Seems
Reason
Solid
Conduct
More quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We acknowledge our faults in order to repair by our sincerity the damage they have done us in the eyes of others.
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There is nothing men are so generous of as advice.
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Sincerity is a certain openness of heart. It is to be found in very few, and what we commonly look upon to be so is only a cunningsort of dissimulation, to insinuate ourselves into the confidence of others.
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Weakness is the only fault that is incorrigible.
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We acknowledge that we should not talk of our wives but we seem not to know that we should talk still less of ourselves.
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Men and things have each their proper perspective to judge rightly of some it is necessary to see them near, of others we can never judge rightly but at a distance.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
People are often vain of their passions, even of the worst, but envy is a passion so timid and shame-faced that no one ever dare avow her.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We may say of agreeableness, as distinct from beauty, that it consists in a symmetry of which we know not the rules, and a secret conformity of the features to each other, as also to the air and complexion of the person.
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Nothing is so capable of diminishing self-love as the observation that we disapprove at one time what we approve at another.
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It is not always for virtue's sake that women are virtuous.
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What men have called friendship is only a social arrangement, a mutual adjustment of interests, an interchange of services given and received it is, in sum, simply a business from which those involved propose to derive a steady profit for their own self-love.
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Neither the sun nor death can be looked at steadily.
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On why I don't trust democracy without extremely powerful systems of accountability and recall What seems to be generosity is often only disguised ambition - which despises small interests to gain great ones.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Second-rate minds usually condemn everything beyond their grasp.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Jealousy is in some measure just and reasonable, since it merely aims at keeping something that belongs to us or we think belongsto us, whereas envy is a frenzy that cannot bear anything that belongs to others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
As it is the mark of great minds to say many things in a few words, so it is that of little minds to use many words to say nothing.
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
We say little, when vanity does not make us speak.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We rarely ever perceive others as being sensible, except for those who agree with us.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
There is only one kind of love, but there are a thousand imitations.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
