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We make promises to the extent that we hope-and keep them to the extent that we fear.
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
Fear
Keep
Make
Promises
Extent
Promise
Hope
More quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld
If it requires great tact to speak to the purpose, it requires no less to know when to be silent.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Moderation is caused by the fear of exciting the envy and contempt which those merit who are intoxicated with their good fortune it is a vain display of our strength of mind, and in short the moderation of men at their greatest height is only a desire to appear greater than their fortune.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We think very few people sensible, except those who are of our opinion.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
It is often laziness and timidity that keep us within our duty while virtue gets all the credit.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Avarice often produces opposite results: there are an infinite number of persons who sacrifice their property to doubtful and distant expectations others mistake great future advantages for small present interests.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Too great cleverness is but deceptive delicacy, true delicacy is the most substantial cleverness.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
All the passions make us commit faults love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We are better pleased to see those on whom we confer benefits than those from whom we receive them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Second-rate minds usually condemn everything beyond their grasp.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Love of glory, fear of shame, greed for fortune, the desire to make life agreeable and comfortable, and the wish to depreciate others - all of these are often the causes of the bravery that is spoken so highly of by men.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Most people judge men by their success or their good fortune.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We are not fond of praising, and never praise any one except from interested motives. Praise is a clever, concealed, and delicate flattery, which gratifies in different ways the giver and the receiver. The one takes it as a recompense of his merit, and the other bestows it to display his equity and discernment.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Great men should not have great faults.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Women can more easily conquer their passion than their coquetterie.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We give advice, but we cannot give the wisdom to profit by it.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The one thing people are the most liberal with, is their advice.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The pleasure of love is in the loving and there is more joy in the passion one feels than in that which one inspires.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
When a man must force himself to be faithful in his love, this is hardly better than unfaithfulness.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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
