Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
One can find women who have never had one love affair, but it is rare indeed to find — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
There are few virtuous women who are not bored with their trade. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
We should often feel ashamed of our best actions if the world could see all the motives which produced them. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
All the passions make us commit faults; love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
A great many men’s gratitude is nothing but a secret desire to hook in more valuable kindnesses hereafter. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
A man is sometimes as different from himself as he is from others. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Being a blockhead is sometimes the best security against being cheated by a man of wit. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Decency is the least of all laws, but yet it is the law which is most strictly observed. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Every one speaks well of his own heart, but no one dares speak well of his own mind. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Everyone complains of his memory, and nobody complains of his judgment. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Flattery is a kind of bad money, to which our vanity gives us currency. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Fortune converts everything to the advantage of her favorites. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Funeral pomp is more for the vanity of the living than for the honor of the dead. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Gracefulness is to the body what understanding is to the mind. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Great souls are not those who have fewer passions and more virtues than others, but only those who have greater designs. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Heat of blood makes young people change their inclinations often, and habit makes old ones keep to theirs a great while. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
Hope, deceiving as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable route. — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI
How can we expect another to keep our secret if we have been unable to keep it ourselves? — Duc De La Rochefoucauld, Francois VI