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Those only are despicable who fear to be despised.

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
Despicable
Despised
Contempt
Fear

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To praise princes for virtues they do not possess is to insult them without fear of consequences.
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Praise is a more ingenious, concealed, and subtle kind of flattery, that satisfies both the giver and the receiver, though by verydifferent ways. The one accepts it as a reward due to his merit the other gives it that he may be looked upon as a just and discerning person.
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We can be more clever than one, but not more clever than all.
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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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Folly pursues us at all periods of our lives. If someone seems wise it is only because his follies are proportionate to his age and fortune.
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We should not be much concerned about faults we have the courage to own.
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Nothing is rarer than true good nature they who are reputed to have it are generally only pliant or weak.
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Our repentances are generally not so much a concern and remorse for the harm we have done, as a fear of the harm we may have brought upon ourselves.
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Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
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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.
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The reason we do not let our friends see the very bottom of our hearts is not so much distrust of them as distrust of ourselves.
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There are some bad qualities which make great talents.
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Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.
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The rust of business is sometimes polished off in a camp but never in a court.
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Some weak people are so sensible of their weakness as to be able to make a good use of it.
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Some disguised deceits counterfeit truth so perfectly that not to be taken in by them would be an error of judgment.
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Some people displease with merit, and others' very faults and defects are pleasing.
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In order to succeed in the world people do their upmost to appear successful.
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The passions possess a certain injustice and self interest which makes it dangerous to follow them, and in reality we should distrust them even when they appear most trustworthy.
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To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.
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