Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes

Search for quotes

The happiness and misery of men depend no less on temper than fortune.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The greatest part of intimate confidences proceed from a desire either to be pitied or admired.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Desire

The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Women

The force we use on ourselves, to prevent ourselves from loving, is often more cruel than the severest treatment at the hands of one loved.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Force

Treatment

The first lover is kept a long while, when no offer is made of a second.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

First

The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Being

Desire

The desire of talking of ourselves, and showing those faults we do not mind having seen, makes up a good part of our sincerity.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The defects of the mind, like those of the face, grow worse with age.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Age

Mind

The man that thinks he loves his mistress for her own sake is mightily mistaken.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Man

The accent of one's birthplace remains in the mind and in the heart as in one's speech.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Heart

Mind

Speech

Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

That good disposition which boasts of being most tender is often stifled by the least urging of self-interest.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Being

Boasts

Self

Taste may change, but inclination never.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Change

May

Taste

Some people displease with merit, and others' very faults and defects are pleasing.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

People

Faults

Merit

Some counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceived by them.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Truth

Judgment