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Those great and glorious actions that dazzle our eyes with their luster are represented by statesmen as the result of great wisdomand excellent design whereas, in truth, they are commonly the effects of the humors and passions.

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
Politics
Actions
Dazzle
Eye
Result
Statesmen
Glory
Commonly
Action
Effects
Represented
Truth
Design
Passions
Great
Results
Whereas
Passion
Glorious
Humors
Eyes
Excellent
Luster

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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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For the credit of virtue we must admit that the greatest misfortunes of men are those into which they fall through their crimes.
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It is a great act of cleverness to be able to conceal one's being clever.
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There is scarcely any man sufficiently clever to appreciate all the evil he does.
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The accent of one's birthplace remains in the mind and in the heart as in one's speech.
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The health of the soul is as precarious as that of the body for when we seem secure from passions, we are no less in danger of their infection than we are of falling ill when we appear to be well.
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It is not always for virtue's sake that women are virtuous.
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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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He who lives without committing any folly is not so wise as he thinks. [Fr., Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il croit.]
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Truth has scarce done so much good in the world as the false appearances of it have done hurt.
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To establish ourselves in the world, we have to do all we can to appear established. To succeed in the world, we do everything we can to appear successful.
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Weak people cannot be sincere.
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Few know how to be old.
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To be a great man it is necessary to turn to account all opportunities.
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Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others.
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We are never so easily deceived as when we imagine we are deceiving others.
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Mediocre minds usually dismiss anything which reaches beyond their own understanding.
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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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There are very few things impossible in themselves and we do not want means to conquer difficulties so much as application and resolution in the use of means.
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