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The desire which urges us to deserve praise strengthens our good qualities, and praise given to wit, valour, and beauty, tends to increase them.
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
Beauty
Strengthens
Quality
Tends
Desire
Urges
Given
Wit
Good
Qualities
Praise
Increase
Deserve
Valour
More quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Friendship is only a reciprocal conciliation of interests, and an exchange of good offices it is a species of commerce out of which self-love always expects to gain something.
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In all aspects of life, we take on a part and an appearance to seem to be what we wish to be--and thus the world is merely composed of actors.
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There is merit without rank, but there is no rank without some merit.
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When the heart is still disturbed by the relics of a passion it is proner to take up a new one than when wholly cured.
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When a man must force himself to be faithful in his love, this is hardly better than unfaithfulness.
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Those who give too much attention to trifling things become generally incapable of great ones.
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We often forgive those who bore us, but we cannot forgive those whom we bore.
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One of the greatest and also the commonest of faults is for men to believe that, because they never hear their shortcomings spoken of, or read about them in cold print, others can have no knowledge of them. GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG, The Reflections of Lichtenberg We are often more agreeable through our faults than our good qualities.
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As we grow older, we increase in folly--and in wisdom.
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Those that have had great passions esteem themselves for the rest of their lives fortunate and unfortunate in being cured of them.
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Sincerity is a certain openness of heart. It is to be found in very few, and what we commonly look upon to be so is only a cunningsort of dissimulation, to insinuate ourselves into the confidence of others.
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Our greediness so often troubles us, making us run after so many things at the same time, that while we too eagerly look after the least we miss the greatest.
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There are some bad qualities which make great talents.
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A man often believes himself leader when he is led as his mind endeavors to reach one goal, his heart insensibly drags him towards another.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
The shame that arises from praise which we do not deserve often makes us do things we should otherwise never have attempted.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
That conduct often seems ridiculous the secret reasons of which are wise and solid.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
No accidents are so unlucky [bad] but that the wise may draw some advantage [good] from them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Moral severity in women is only a dress or paint which they use to set off their beauty.
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