French author (1613-1680)
An extraordinary haste to discharge an obligation is a sort of ingratitude.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Passions often produce their contraries: avarice sometimes leads to prodigality, and prodigality to avarice; we are often obstinate through weakness and daring through timidity.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
The clemency of Princes is often but policy to win the affections of the people.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
attributed, Wisdom for the Soul: Five Millennia of Prescriptions for Spiritual Healing
The head is always the bubble of the heart.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
The art of being able to make a good use of moderate abilities wins esteem and often confers more reputation than real merit.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
We often glory in the most criminal passions; but envy is a shameful passion we never dare own.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Some weak people are sensible of their weakness and able to make good use of it.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
A fool has not stuff enough to make a good man.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Those who apply themselves too much to little things commonly become incapable of great ones.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
We may appear great in an employment below our merit; but we often appear little in an employment that is too great for us.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Those who have had great passions often find all their lives made miserable in being cured of them.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
We sometimes condemn the present, by praising the past; and show our contempt of what is now, by our esteem for what is no more.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
The surest way to be deceived is to think oneself more clever than others.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Maxims
Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils; but present evils triumph over it.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
Men are more satirical from vanity than from malice.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Maxims
There are crimes which become innocent, and even glorious, through their splendor, number, and excess: Hence it is, that public theft is called Address, and to seize on Provinces unjustly, to make Conquests.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
The dullness of certain people is sometimes a sufficient security against the attack of an artful man.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Sometimes we meet a fool with wit, never one with discretion.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims