Francois de La Rochefoucauld - Quodid

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Picture of Francois de La Rochefoucauld

François de La Rochefoucauld, 2nd Duke of La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillac (; French: [fʁɑ̃swa d(ə) la ʁɔʃfuko]; 15 September 1613 – 17 March 1680) was an accomplished French moralist of the era of French Classical literature and author of Maximes and Memoirs, the only two works of his dense literary œuvre published. His Maximes portrays the callous nature of human conduct, with a cynical attitude towards putative virtue and avowals of affection, friendship, love, and loyalty.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld is sometimes cited as:

La Rochefoucauld
Duc François de La Rochefoucauld

Quotes from Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person?

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We all have strength enough to endure the misfortunes of others.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

others strength misfortune

Old people are fond of giving good advice; it consoles them for no longer being capable of setting a bad example.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

wisdom advice age old age mischief

True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about and few have seen.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The glory of great men should always be measured by the means they have used to acquire it.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

men glory means methods

We always like those who admire us; we do not always like those whom we admire.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

affection like admiring

Almost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods we resort to to hide them.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

forgiveness secrecy defects

Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Jealousy contains more of self-love than of love.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Be systematically heroic in little unnecessary points, do every day or two something for no other reason than its difficulty, so that, when the hour of need draws nigh, it may find you not unnerved or untrained to stand the test.

—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

We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

Few are agreeable in conversation, because each thinks more of what he intends to say than of what others are saying, and listens no more when he himself has a chance to speak.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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