F

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

100 quotes

François de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) was a French moralist and author of *Maxims*, a collection of pithy observations about human behavior and society. His sharp, often cynical reflections on vanity, self-interest, and the gap between appearance and reality remain strikingly relevant centuries later.

“There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Men

All Quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Good

“We are nearer loving those who hate us than those who love us more than we wish.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Love

“One forgives to the degree that one loves.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Forgiveness

“Perfect courage is to do without witnesses what one would be capable of doing with the world looking on.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Courage

“Taste may change, but inclination never.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Change

“Hope, deceiving as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable route.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Hope

“We are all strong enough to bear other men's misfortunes.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Men

“A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Friendship

“We come altogether fresh and raw into the several stages of life, and often find ourselves without experience, despite our years.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Experience

“There are few virtuous women who are not bored with their trade.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Women

“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

Great

“Our actions seem to have their lucky and unlucky stars, to which a great part of that blame and that commendation is due which is given to the actions themselves.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Great

“Old age is a tyrant, who forbids, under pain of death, the pleasures of youth.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Age

“There are a great many men valued in society who have nothing to recommend them but serviceable vices.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Great

“To know how to hide one's ability is great skill.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Great

“Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Men

“Philosophy finds it an easy matter to vanquish past and future evils, but the present are commonly too hard for it.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Future

“If we have not peace within ourselves, it is in vain to seek it from outward sources.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Peace

“There is nothing men are so generous of as advice.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Men

“Men give away nothing so liberally as their advice.”

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Men