To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation. Francois de La Rochefoucauld More Quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld More Quotes From Francois de La Rochefoucauld Affected simplicity is an elegant imposture. Francois de La Rochefoucauld elegant affected simplicity However much we may distrust men's sincerity, we always believe they speak to us more sincerely than to others. Francois de La Rochefoucauld may men believe The extreme pleasure we take in speaking of ourselves should make us apprehensive that it gives hardly any to those who listen to us. Francois de La Rochefoucauld pleasure should giving We feel good and ill only in proportion to our self-love. Francois de La Rochefoucauld proportion feel-good self There are some bad qualities which make great talents. Francois de La Rochefoucauld bad-qualities talent quality Sometimes we think we dislike flattery, but it is only the way it is done that we dislike. Francois de La Rochefoucauld done way thinking Tastes in young people are changed by natural impetuosity, and in the aged are preserved by habit. Francois de La Rochefoucauld habit taste people The tranquility or agitation of our temper does not depend so much on the big things which happen to us in life, as on the pleasant or unpleasant arrangements of the little things which happen daily. Francois de La Rochefoucauld agitation doe littles Truth does less good in the world than its appearances do harm. Francois de La Rochefoucauld truth doe world Truth does not do as much good in the world as its imitations do harm. Francois de La Rochefoucauld imitation doe world We like to read others but we do not like to be read. Francois de La Rochefoucauld understanding-others understanding The most violent passions sometimes leave us at rest, but vanity agitates us constantly. Francois de La Rochefoucauld vanity passion sometimes Vices are ingredients of virtues just as poisons are ingredients of remedies. Prudence mixes and tempers them and uses them effectively against life's ills. Francois de La Rochefoucauld poison vices use Often we are firm from weakness, and audacious from timidity. Francois de La Rochefoucauld audacious firm weakness The greatest fault of a penetrating wit is to go beyond the mark. Francois de La Rochefoucauld wit mark faults There is scarcely any man sufficiently clever to appreciate all the evil he does. Francois de La Rochefoucauld appreciate clever men All the passions are nothing else than different degrees of heat and cold of the blood. Francois de La Rochefoucauld degrees passion blood However evil men may be they dare not be openly hostile to virtue, and so when they want to attack it they pretend to find it spurious , or impute crimes to it. Francois de La Rochefoucauld evil may men He is not to pass for a man of reason who stumbles upon reason by chance but he who knows it and can judge it and has a true taste for it. Francois de La Rochefoucauld taste judging men Many men are contemptuous of riches; few can give them away. Francois de La Rochefoucauld riches giving men
