Quotes from Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims — François de La Rochefoucauld
1613–1680 France
← All quotes by François de La Rochefoucauld
122 quotes
Those who apply themselves too much to little things often become incapable of great ones.
Mediocre minds usually dismiss anything which reaches beyond their own understanding.
It is useless to be young without being beautiful, or beautiful without being young.
It is easier to seem worthy of positions one does not have than of those one does.
We would rather speak ill of ourselves than not talk about ourselves at all.
The truest way to be deceived is to think oneself more knowing than others.
The vivacity which increases with old age is not so far removed from folly.
The intention of cheating no one lays us open to being cheated ourselves.
There is merit without attainment, but no attainment without some merit.
It is more disgraceful to distrust than to be deceived by our friends.
True eloquence consists in saying all that need be said and no more.
The greatest fault of a penetrating wit is to go beyond the mark.
Quarrels would not last long if the fault were only on one side.
Innocence is very far from finding as much protection as crime.
It is more difficult to avoid being ruled than to rule others.
The desire to appear clever often prevents one from being so.
There are few honest women who are not tired of what they do.
Attribution
Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: François de La Rochefoucauld (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.