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Nothing is rarer than true good nature they who are reputed to have it are generally only pliant or weak.

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
Weak
True
Nature
Nothing
Pliant
Good
Reputed
Rarer
Generally
Goodness

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Love has its name borrowed by a great number of dealings and affairs that are attributed to it--in which it has no greater part than the Doge in what is done at Venice.
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We often credit ourselves with vices the reverse of what we have, thus when weak we boast of our obstinacy.
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We seldom find any person of good sense, except those who share our opinions.
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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.
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More men are guilty of treason through weakness than any studied design to betray.
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Self-love increases or diminishes for us the good qualities of our friends, in proportion to the satisfaction we feel with them and we judge of their merit by the manner in which they act towards us.
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For envy, like lightning, generally strikes at the top Or any point which sticks out from the ordinary level. LUCRETIUS, De Rerum Natura Our envy always outlives the felicity of its object.
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There are no events so disastrous that adroit men do not draw some advantage from them, nor any so fortunate that the imprudent cannot turn to their own prejudice.
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We often select envenomed praise which, by a reaction upon those we praise, shows faults we could not have shown by other means.
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It is pointless for a woman to be young unless pretty, or to be pretty unless young.
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It is as proper to have pride in oneself as it ridiculous to show it to others.
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Great souls are not those who have fewer passions and more virtues than others, but only those who have greater designs.
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We say little, when vanity does not make us speak.
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Those who give too much attention to trifling things become generally incapable of great ones.
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It is not expedient or wise to examine our friends too closely few persons are raised in our esteem by a close examination.
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Self-love is the love of a man's own self, and of everything else for his own sake. It makes people idolaters to themselves, and tyrants to all the world besides.
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We had better appear what we are, than affect to appear what we are not.
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Our aversion to lying is commonly a secret ambition to make what we say considerable, and have every word received with a religious respect.
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