To awaken a man who is deceived as to his own merit is to do him as bad a turn as that done to the Athenian madman who was happy in believing that all the ships touching at the port belonged to him. Francois de La Rochefoucauld More Quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld More Quotes From Francois de La Rochefoucauld It is no tragedy to do ungrateful people favors, but it is unbearable to be indebted to a scoundrel. Francois de La Rochefoucauld ungrateful-peoplefavorstragedy Nothing is rarer than true good nature; they who are reputed to have it are generally only pliant or weak. Francois de La Rochefoucauld good-naturegoodnessweak A man cannot please long who has only one kind of wit. Francois de La Rochefoucauld kindmenlong There are few people who are more often in the wrong than those who cannot endure to be so. Francois de La Rochefoucauld endurepeople We can never be certain of our courage until we have faced danger. Francois de La Rochefoucauld certaindangercourage It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men. Francois de La Rochefoucauld cunning-manplaymen Old age is a tyrant, who forbids, under pain of death, the pleasures of youth. Francois de La Rochefoucauld timebirthdaydeath The constancy of sages is nothing but the art of locking up their agitation in their hearts. Francois de La Rochefoucauld agitationwisdomart It is easy to be wise on behalf of others than to be so for ourselves. Francois de La Rochefoucauld intelligencewisdomwise We have no patience with other people's vanity because it is offensive to our own. Francois de La Rochefoucauld vanitypatiencepeople The only thing that should surprise us is that there are still some things that can surprise us. Francois de La Rochefoucauld surprisestillsshould We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them. Francois de La Rochefoucauld kind-deedsintegrityinspirational Folly pursues us at all periods of our lives. If someone seems wise it is only because his follies are proportionate to his age and fortune. Francois de La Rochefoucauld errorswisemistake Madmen and fools see everything through the medium of humor. Francois de La Rochefoucauld mediumsmadmenfool We should often blush at our noblest deeds if the world were to see all their underlying motives. Francois de La Rochefoucauld deedsshouldworld We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves. Francois de La Rochefoucauld im-sorrybeing-yourselfwork Conceit causes more conversation than wit. Francois de La Rochefoucauld conceitedcausesconversation It is from a weakness and smallness of mind that men are opinionated; and we are very loath to believe what we are not able to comprehend. Francois de La Rochefoucauld mindmenbelieve More men are guilty of treason through weakness than any studied design to betray. Francois de La Rochefoucauld designweaknessmen Cunning and treachery are the offspring of incapacity. Francois de La Rochefoucauld cunningtreacheryincapacity
