François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) was a French classical author and moralist. He was the leading exponent of the maxime, a French literary form of epigram that expresses a harsh or paradoxical truth with demonstrated clarity and brevity.
Born in Paris, La Rochefoucauld didn’t receive much formal education; instead, he was a student of human nature. He became a public figure after he joined the army, and then a leading member of the Fronde, a series of disputes between the French nobility and the monarchy of Louis XIV.
Despite all his political activities, La Rochefoucauld is best remembered for his writing. He translated his observances into a collection of cynical epigrams, which he called Réflexions ou Sentences et Maximes Morales (1665.) He published this first edition anonymously, but subsequent editions under his name. He published four more editions of Maximes in his lifetime, eventually writing more than 500 epigrammatic reflections analyzing human conduct, and finding self-interest to be its driving force.
Though he did a considerable amount of writing over the years, La Rochefoucauld published only one other work—a surreptitious edition of Mémoires (1662;) it conveyed wide offense, and he denied its authorship. Besides, about 150 letters have been collected and 19 shorter pieces now known as Réflexions diverses.
La Rochefoucauld was admired by all the great French critics of the 19th century. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was influenced by not only his ethics but also his literary style.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Francois de La Rochefoucauld
It is as proper to have pride in oneself as it is ridiculous to show it to others.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Confidence, Assurance
The more one loves a mistress, the more one is ready to hate her.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Love, Lovers
There is no amount of praise which is not heaped on prudence; yet there is not the most insignificant event of which it can make us sure.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Prudence
The passions often engender their contraries.—Avarice sometimes produces prodigality, and prodigality, avarice; we are often resolute from weakness, and daring from timidity.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Passion
We confess small faults, in order to insinuate that we have no great ones.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Faults
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.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Happiness
Great names degrade instead of elevating those who know not how to sustain them.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Names
Humility is often only a feigned submission, of which we make use to render others submissive. It is an artifice of pride which abases in order to exalt itself.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Humility
The reason why lovers are never weary of one another is this—they are ever talking of themselves.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Egotism, Love
We sometimes imagine we hate flattery, but we only hate the way we are flattered.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Flattery
Moderation must not claim the merit of combating and conquering ambition; for they can never exist in the same subject. Moderation is the languor and sloth of the soul; ambition its activity and ardor.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Moderation
The mind is always the patsy of the heart.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Mind, The Mind
What men have called friendship is only a social arrangement, a mutual adjustment of interests, an interchange of services given and received; it is, in sum, simply a business from which those involved propose to derive a steady profit for their own self-love.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Friends, Friendship
Esteem has more engaging charms than friendship and even love.—It captivates hearts better, and never makes ingrates.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Respect
It takes nearly as much ability to know how to profit by good as to know how to act for one’s self.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Advice
Most of our faults are more pardonable than the means we use to conceal them.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Shame
Great souls are not those who have fewer passions and more virtues than others, but only those who have greater designs.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Greatness, Goals
Few men are so clever as to know all the mischief they do.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
It is oftener from pride, than from want of understanding that we oppose the opinions adopted by the world.—We find the first places are taken in a good cause, and are unwilling to come in as second.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Pride
The art of being able to make a good use of moderate abilities wins esteem, and often confers more reputation than real merit.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Merit
Penetration or discernment has an air of divination; it pleases our vanity more than any other quality of the mind.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
No accidents are so unlucky but that the wise may draw some advantage from them; nor are there any so lucky but that the foolish may turn them to their own prejudice.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Misfortune
One is never fortunate or as unfortunate as one imagines.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Appreciation, Gratitude, Blessings
If we are to judge of love by its consequences, it more nearly resembles hatred than friendship.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Love
Youth is a continual intoxication; it is the fever of reason.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Youth
Flattery is a kind of bad money, to which our vanity gives us currency.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Flattery
Perfect virtue is to do unwitnessed what we should be capable of doing before all the world.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Virtue
In the misfortunes of our best friends we always find something not altogether displeasing to us.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Friendship
As one grows older, one becomes wiser and more foolish.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Age, Aging
If vanity does not entirely overthrow the virtues, at least it makes them all totter.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Vanity
Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Passion
Decency is the least of all laws, but yet it is the law which is most strictly observed.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Manners
We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Bores
Passions are the only orators to always convinces us.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Speakers
Passion often makes fools of the ablest men, and able men of the mow foolish.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Passion
As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Silence, Wit, Wisdom
When our hatred is violent, it sinks us even beneath those we hate.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Hate, Hatred
It is from a weakness and smallness of mind that men are opinionated; and we are very loath to believe what we are not able to comprehend.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Weakness
The height of ability consists in a thorough knowledge of the real value of things, and of the genius of the age in which we live.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Topics: Ability
Too great refinement is false delicacy, and true delicacy is solid refinement.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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