Quote

We should wish for few things with eagerness, if we perfectly knew the nature of that which was the object of our desire.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

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
Objects
Knew
Wish
Desire
Nature
Things
Eagerness
Perfectly
Object

More quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Image
Those who give too much attention to trifling things become generally incapable of great ones.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
A man often imagines that he acts, when he is acted upon.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
We are better pleased to see those on whom we confer benefits than those from whom we receive them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
When our hatred is violent, it sinks us even beneath those we hate.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in change, as from the distaste we feel in being too little admired by those that know us too well, and the hope of being more admired by those that know us less.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
We sometimes think that we hate flattery, but we only hate the manner in which it is done. [Fr., On croit quelquefoir hair la flatterie maid on ne hait que a maniere de flatter.]
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
We give advice, we do not inspire conduct.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
Consolation for unhappiness can often be found in a certain satisfaction we get from looking unhappy.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
Customary use of artifice is the sign of a small mind, and it almost always happens that he who uses it to cover one spot uncovers himself in another.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
It is as easy to unknowingly deceive yourself as it is to deceive others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
The appearances of goodness and merit often meet with a greater reward from the world than goodness and merit themselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
History never embraces more than a small part of reality
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
All women seem by nature to be coquettes.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
There are certain defects which, well-mounted, glitter like virtue itself.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
More men are guilty of treason through weakness than any studied design to betray.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
Many young persons believe themselves natural when they are only impolite and coarse.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
The truest comparison we can make of love is to liken it to a fever we have no more power over the one than the other, either as to its violence or duration.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
We sometimes imagine we hate flattery, but we only hate the way we are flattered.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Image
The breeding we give young people is ordinarily but an additional self-love, by which we make them have a better opinion of themselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld