Francois VI Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Francois VI Duc de La Rochefoucauld
argument fault last lay quarrels
Quarrels would not last so long if the fault lay only on one side.
approach enemies judgments nearer truth
Our enemies approach nearer to truth in their judgments of us than we do ourselves.
constancy cute-love giving heart itself love perpetual preference sweet-love
Constancy in love is a perpetual inconstancy, in which the heart attaches itself successively to each of the lover's qualities, giving preference now to one, now to another.
affairs ashamed few love people sad-love
There are few people who are not ashamed of their love affairs when the infatuation is over.
desire lead sufficient ways
There are ways which lead to everything, and if we have sufficient will we should always have sufficient means.
conceal cute-love disguise exists love
There is no disguise that can for long conceal love where it exists or simulate it where it does not.
convinces orators passions speakers-and-speaking
Passions are the only orators to always convinces us.
jealousy
In jealousy there is more of self-love than love.
examine happy hearts possess
Before we set our hearts too much on anything, let us examine how happy are those who already possess it.
accept secret secrets unable
How can we accept another to keep our secret if we have been unable to keep it ourselves.
brilliant great result unless viewed
How ever a brilliant an action, it should not be viewed as great unless it is the result of a great motive.
appearance desire natural prevents seem
Nothing so much prevents our being natural as the desire to seem so.
absence blows candles great increases mediocre passions wind
Absence weakens mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind blows out candles and kindles fires.
absence candles diminishes fans great increases passions wind
Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire.