Francois VI Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Francois VI Duc de La Rochefoucauld
passion resist weakness
If we resist our passions, it is more through their weakness than from our strength.
absence blows candles great increases mediocre passions wind
Absence weakens mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind blows out candles and kindles fires.
absence candles diminishes fans great increases passions wind
Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire.
eloquent man natural passions persuasive rules simplest
The passions are the only advocates which always persuade. They are a natural art, the rules of which are infallible; and the simplest man with passion will be more persuasive than the most eloquent without.
convinces orators passions speakers-and-speaking
Passions are the only orators to always convinces us.
jealousy
In jealousy there is more of self-love than love.
complains judgment-and-judges nobody
Everyone complains of the badness of his memory, but nobody of his judgment.
appearance desire natural prevents seem
Nothing so much prevents our being natural as the desire to seem so.
acquire fame great judged means men ought
The fame of great men ought to be judged always by the means they used to acquire it.
bringing contagious evil example good great
Nothing is so contagious as an example. We never do great good or evil without bringing about more of the same on the part of others.
finds man peace seek useless within
When a man finds no peace within himself, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.
condition french-writer people render seldom ungrateful
We seldom find people ungrateful so long as we are in a condition to render them service.
credit except good opinions persons scarcely
We credit scarcely any persons with good sense except those who are of our opinion.
discharge great hurry obligation
Too great a hurry to discharge an obligation is a kind of ingratitude.