"Nothing ought in reason to mortify our self-satisfaction more that the considering that we condemn at one time what we highly approve and commend at another."
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Quote collection
Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes (page 27 of 55)
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"The older a fool is, the worse he is."
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"Pride, which inspires us with so much envy, is sometimes of use toward the moderating of it too."
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"Those who most obstinately oppose the most widely-held opinions more often do so because of pride than lack of intelligence. They find the best places in the right set already taken, and they do not want back seats."
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"Second-rate minds usually condemn everything beyond their grasp."
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"Moderation in people who are contented comes from that calm that good fortune lends to their spirit."
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"Jealousy is in a manner just and reasonable, as it tends to preserve a good which belongs, or which we believe belongs to us, on the other hand envy is a fury which cannot endure the happiness of others."
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"People are often vain of their passions, even of the worst, but envy is a passion so timid and shame-faced that no one ever dare avow her."
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"Moderation is caused by the fear of exciting the envy and contempt which those merit who are intoxicated with their good fortune; it is a vain display of our strength of mind, and in short the moderation of men at their greatest height is only a desire to appear greater than their fortune."
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"The hate of favourites is only a love of favour. The envy of NOT possessing it, consoles and softens its regrets by the contempt it evinces for those who possess it, and we refuse them our homage, not being able to detract from them what attracts that of the rest of the world."
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"Few things are needful to make the wise man happy, but nothing satisfies the fool; - and this is the reason why so many of mankind are miserable."
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"It is as common for tastes to change as it is uncommon for traits of character."
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"Love is to the soul of him who loves, what the soul is to the body which it animates."
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"The mind is always the patsy of the heart."
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"Good taste comes more from the judgment than from the mind."
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"Even women are perfect at the outset."
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"The best way to rise in society is to use all possible means of persuading people that one has already risen in society."
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"Happiness is in the taste, and not in the things themselves; we are happy from possessing what we like, not from possessing what others like."
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"Nothing is so catching as example."
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"One thing which makes us find so few people who appear reasonable and agreeable in conversation is, that there is scarcely any one who does not think more of what he is about to say than of answering precisely what is said to him."
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