If we are to judge of love by its consequences, it more nearly resembles hatred than friendship. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
How is it that we remember the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not remember how often we have recounted it to the same person? – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
A wise man thinks it more advantageous not to join the battle than to win. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
There are very few things impossible in themselves; and we do not want means to conquer difficulties so much as application and resolution in the use of means. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Women’s virtue is frequently nothing but a regard to their own quiet and a tenderness for their reputation. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Old men are fond of giving good advice to console themselves for their inability to give bad examples. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Old age is a tyrant, who forbids, under pain of death, the pleasures of youth. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Perhaps being old is having lighted rooms inside your head, and people in them, acting. People you know, yet can’t quite name. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
In the human heart new passions are forever being born; the overthrow of one almost always means the rise of another. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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
Silence is the safest course for any man to adopt who distrust himself. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
People that are conceited of their own merit take pride in being unfortunate, that themselves and others may think them considerable enough to be the envy and the mark of fortune. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
All the passions make us commit faults; love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
It is from a weakness and smallness of mind that men are opinionated; and we are very loath to believe what we are not able to comprehend. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
What seems to be generosity is often no more than disguised ambition, which overlooks a small interest in order to secure a great one. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
If we had no faults of our own, we should not take so much pleasure in noticing those in others. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
When our vices leave us, we like to imagine it is we who are leaving them. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
They that apply themselves to trifling matters commonly become incapable of great ones. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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