"Before we passionately desire a thing, we should examine the happiness of its possessor."
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Quote collection
Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes (page 29 of 55)
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"Moderation resembles temperance. We are not so unwilling to eat more, as afraid of doing ourselves harm by it."
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"Nothing prevents one from appearing natural as the desire to appear natural."
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"None but the contemptible are apprehensive of contempt."
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"We often boast that we are never bored; but yet we are so conceited that we do not perceive how often we bore others."
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"Narrow minds think nothing right that is above their own capacity."
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"Most men, like plants, possess hidden qualities which chance discovers."
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"In order to succeed in the world people do their upmost to appear successful."
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"Raillery is more insupportable than wrong; because we have a right to resent injuries, but are ridiculous in being angry at a jest."
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"The intellect of the generality of women serves more to fortify their folly than their reason."
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"Philosophy easily triumphs over past and future ills; but present ills triumph over philosophy."
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"Those only are despicable who fear to be despised."
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"Whatever distrust we may have of the sincerity of those who converse with us, we always believe they will tell us more truth than they do to others."
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"Confidence always pleases those who receive it. It is a tribute we pay to their merit, a deposit we commit to their trust, a pledge that gives them a claim upon us, a kind of dependence to which we voluntarily submit."
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"We can be more clever than one, but not more clever than all."
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"Avarice often produces opposite results: there are an infinite number of persons who sacrifice their property to doubtful and distant expectations; others mistake great future advantages for small present interests."
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"There are a great many men valued in society who have nothing to recommend them but serviceable vices."
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"No matter how much care we put into hiding our passions under the appearances of devotion and honor, they can always be seen to peer out through these covers."
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"It is given to few persons to keep this secret well. Those who lay down rules too often break them, and the safest we are able to give is to listen much, to speak little, and to say nothing that that will ever give ground or regret."
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"Most women lament not the death of their lovers so much out of real affection for them, as because they would appear worthy of love."
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