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
We judge so superficially of things, that common words and actions spoke and done in an agreeable manner, with some knowledge of what passes in the world, often succeed beyond the greatest ability.
We should often feel ashamed of our best actions if the world could see all the motives which produced them.
As the great ones of this world are unable to bestow health of body or peace of mind, we always pay too high a price for any good they can do.
Truth does not do as much good in the world as its imitations do harm.
Truth does less good in the world than its appearances do harm.
The world is full of pots jeering at kettles.
Fortune and humor govern the world.
We should gain more by letting the world see what we are than by trying to seem what we are not.
True bravery is shown by performing without witness what one might be capable of doing before all the world.
In all aspects of life, we take on a part and an appearance to seem to be what we wish to be--and thus the world is merely composed of actors.
He who imagines he can do without the world deceives himself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him is still more mistaken.
Perfect Valor is to do, without a witness, all that we could do before the whole world.
To establish ourselves in the world, we have to do all we can to appear established. To succeed in the world, we do everything we can to appear successful.
We should often blush at our noblest deeds if the world were to see all their underlying motives.