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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

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Our actions are like blank rhymes, to which everyone applies what sense he pleases.
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Penetration has an air of divination it pleases our vanity more than any other quality of the mind.
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Consolation for unhappiness can often be found in a certain satisfaction we get from looking unhappy.
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There is no accident so unfortunate but wise men will make some advantage of it, nor any so entirely fortunate but fools may turn it to their own prejudice.
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A readiness to believe ill of others, before we have duly examined it, is the effect of laziness and pride. We are eager to find aculprit, and loath to give ourselves the trouble of examining the crime.
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To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.
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The constancy of sages is nothing but the art of locking up their agitation in their hearts.
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We have more indolence in the mind than in the body.
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When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.
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Moral severity in women is only a dress or paint which they use to set off their beauty.
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The most sure method of subjecting yourself to be deceived is to consider yourself more cunning than others.
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There are certain defects which, well-mounted, glitter like virtue itself.
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A wise man should order his interests, and set them all in their proper places. This order is often troubled by greed, which putsus upon pursuing so many things at once that, in eagerness for matters of less consideration, we grasp at trifles, and let go things of greater value.
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