Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

What seems to be generosity is often no more than disguised ambition, which overlooks a small interest in order to secure a great one.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Ambition Disguised Generously Interest Order Overlook Secure Seem Small
We are more often treacherous through weakness than through calculation.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Calculation More Often Treacherous Weakness
Though nature be ever so generous, yet can she not make a hero alone. Fortune must contribute her part too; and till both concur, the work cannot be perfected.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Alone Both Compulsion Contribute Fortune Generous Hero Nature Part
We are strong enough to bear the misfortunes of others.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Bear Enough Misfortune Other Strong
The heart is forever making the head its fool.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Fool Forever Head Heart Make
A man’s worth has its season, like fruit.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Fruit Man Season Worth
Taste may change, but inclination never.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Change Inclination never Testy
Jealousy lives upon doubts. It becomes madness or ceases entirely as soon as we pass from doubt to certainty.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Certain Doubt Entirely Jealous Madness Soon Upon
The passions are the only orators which always persuade.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Always Orator Passion Persuade
Funeral pomp is more for the vanity of the living than for the honor of the dead.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Dead Funeral Honor Like Love More Pomp Vanity
Perfect Valor is to do, without a witness, all that we could do before the whole world.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Before Could Perfect Valid Whole Witness
The mind is always the patsy of the heart.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Always Heart Mind
The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body; after all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind, and they are in continual danger of breaking the skin and bursting out again.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Body Defect Fault Imagination Mind Taken Wound
The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Interest Self Vice Virtue World
There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Access Become Crime Even Glorious Number Splendor
If we had no faults of our own, we should not take so much pleasure in noticing those in others.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Fault Much Notice Other Own Pleasure Tak
When our vices leave us, we like to imagine it is we who are leaving them.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Imagine Leave Them Vice
Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Amended Cannot Character Defect Weakness
We all have enough strength to endure the misfortunes of others.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Endure Enough Misfortune Other Strength
Old age is a tyrant, who forbids, under pain of death, the pleasures of youth.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Age Forbid Old Pain Pressure Under Youth
Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Advice Bad Example Good Man Old Set Something Too
We often forgive those who bore us, but we cannot forgive those whom we bore.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Bore Forgive Offer Often Whom
When a man is in love, he doubts, very often, what he most firmly believes.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Believe Doubt Firmly Love Man Most Often
Perhaps being old is having lighted rooms inside your head, and people in them, acting. People you know, yet can’t quite name.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Act Being Head Inside Light Name Old People Perhaps Quiet Room
The man that thinks he loves his mistress for her own sake is mightily mistaken.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Love Man might Mistake Mistress Own Sake Think
We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Despise Vice Virtue
Neither the sun nor death can be looked at with a steady eye.
FRANCOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

Death Eye Look Neither Steady Sum

Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

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