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There are certain people fated to be fools they not only commit follies by choice, but are even constrained to do so by fortune.
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
Commit
Fortune
Choice
Fool
Fated
Choices
Constrained
Certain
Follies
Even
Fools
People
Folly
More quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld
No man deserves to be praised for his goodness, who has it not in his power to be wicked. Goodness without that power is generally nothing more than sloth, or an impotence of will.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Sometimes there is equal or more ability in knowing how to use good advice than there is in giving it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Commonplace minds usually condemn what is beyond the reach of their understanding.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Men are often so foolish as to boast and value themselves upon their passions, even those that are most vicious. But envy is a passion so full of cowardice and shame that no one every ever had the confidence to own it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Not to love is in love an infallible means of being loved.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Men are inconsolable concerning the treachery of their friends or the deceptions of their enemies and yet they are often very highly satisfied to be both deceived and betrayed by their own selves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Perfect courage is to do without witnesses what one would be capable of doing with the world looking on.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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
Some people are like popular songs that you only sing for a short time.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Women know not the whole of their coquetry.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Those who occupy their minds with small matters, generally become incapable of greatness.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We often are consoled by our want of reason for misfortunes that reason could not have comforted.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are most wise and weighty.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
It is often hard to determine whether a clear, open, and honorable proceeding is the result of goodness or of cunning.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The head does not know how to play the part of the heart for long.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Moderation is a fear of falling into that envy and contempt which those who grow giddy with their good fortune quite justly draw upon themselves. It is a vain boasting of the greatness of our mind.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The first lover is kept a long while, when no offer is made of a second.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
There are reproaches which praise, and praises which defame.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
