The art of being able to make a good use of moderate abilities wins esteem and often confers more reputation than real merit.

Variants

as: "The art of using moderate abilities to advantage wins praise, and often acquires more reputation than real brilliancy."

Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665)

Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665)

Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665)

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: François de La Rochefoucauld (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.