Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillacla ʁɔʃfuˈko]; 15 September 1613 – 17 March 1680) was a noted French author of maxims and memoirs. It is said that his world-view was clear-eyed and urbane, and that he neither condemned human conduct nor sentimentally celebrated it. Born in Paris on the Rue des Petits Champs, at a time when the royal court was vacillating between aiding the nobility and threatening it, he was considered an exemplar of the accomplished 17th-century...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth15 September 1613
CountryFrance
What makes us so often discontented with those who transact business for us is that they almost always abandon the interest of their friends for the interest of the business, because they wish to have the honor of succeeding in that which they have undertaken.
There are some disguised falsehoods so like truths, that 'twould be to judge ill not to be deceived by them.
None but great men are capable of having great flaws.
When our vices desert us, we flatter ourselves that we are deserting our vices.
The generality of men have, like plants, latent properties, which chance brings to light.
Only strong natures can really be sweet ones; those that seem sweet are in general only weak, and may easily turn sour.
Love often leads on to ambition, but seldom does one return from ambition to love.
If a man doesn't find ease in himself, 'tis in vain to seek it elsewhere.
There is only one kind of love, but there are a thousand imitations.
Men more easily renounce their interests than their tastes.
It is as easy to deceive one's self without perceiving it, as it is difficult to deceive others without their finding out.
There may be talent without position, but there is no position without some kind of talent.
The desire to be thought clever often prevents a man from becoming so.
The strongest symptom of wisdom in man is his being sensible of his own follies.