Nothing hinders a thing from being natural so much as the straining ourselves to make it seem so.

Quote by Francois De La Rochefoucauld

Topics: Francois De La Rochefoucauld Quotes

The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.

The virtues and vices are all put in motion by interest.

Nature seems at each man's birth to have marked out the bounds of his virtues...

Nature seems at each man's birth to have marked out the bounds of his virtues...

If we resist our passions, it is more due to their weakness than our strength.

If we resist our passions, it is more due to their weakness than our strength.

What makes lovers never tire of one another is that they talk always about themselves.

What makes lovers never tire of one another is that they talk always about themselves.

Men often pass from love to ambition, but they seldom come back again from ambition...

Men often pass from love to ambition, but they seldom come back again from ambition...

There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to...

There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to...

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the...

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the...

I have always been an admirer. I regard the gift of admiration as indispensable if...

I have always been an admirer. I regard the gift of admiration as indispensable if...

Chance corrects us of many faults that reason would not know how to correct.

Chance corrects us of many faults that reason would not know how to correct.

We may sooner be brought to love them that hate us, than them that love...

We may sooner be brought to love them that hate us, than them that love...

In all professions each affects a look and an exterior to appear what he wishes...

In all professions each affects a look and an exterior to appear what he wishes...

Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever.

Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever.

Those who occupy their minds with small matters, generally become incapable of greatness.

Those who occupy their minds with small matters, generally become incapable of greatness.

There is no better proof of a man's being truly good than his desiring to...

There is no better proof of a man's being truly good than his desiring to...

The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices.

The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices.

The sure way to be cheated is to think one's self more cunning than others.

The sure way to be cheated is to think one's self more cunning than others.

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

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

What keeps us from abandoning ourselves entirely to one vice, often, is the fact that...

What keeps us from abandoning ourselves entirely to one vice, often, is the fact that...

No man deserves to be praised for his goodness, who has it not in his...

No man deserves to be praised for his goodness, who has it not in his...

It is not enough to have great qualities; We should also have the management of...

It is not enough to have great qualities; We should also have the management of...