Quotes by La Rochefoucauld, Francois De

"Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on absence
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"We always love those who admire us; we do not always love those whom we admire."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on admiration
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"The desire to seem clever often keeps us from being so."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on cleverness   

"It is great cleverness to know how to conceal our cleverness."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on cleverness   

"If it were not for the company of fools, a witty man would often be greatly at a loss."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on company   

"Usually we praise only to be praised."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on compliments   

"We only confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no big ones."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on confession   

"Silence is the safest course for any man to adopt who distrust himself."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on confidence   

"When we cannot find contentment in ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on contentment   

"We often forgive those who bore us, but we cannot forgive those whom we bore."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on conversation   

"Conceit causes more conversation than wit."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on conversation   

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

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on courage   

"True bravery is shown by performing without witness what one might be capable of doing before all the world."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on courage   

"We can never be certain of our courage until we have faced danger."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on courage   

"There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess."

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on crime and criminals   

"Neither the sun nor death can be looked at with a steady eye"

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De on death