Francois VI Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Francois VI Duc de La Rochefoucauld
convinces orators passions speakers-and-speaking
Passions are the only orators to always convinces us.
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.
cannot contentment seek useless
When we cannot find contentment in ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.
badly egotism ourselves rather speak talk
We would rather speak badly of ourselves than not talk about ourselves at all.
conceal cute-love disguise exists love
There is no disguise that can for long conceal love where it exists or simulate it where it does not.
desire lead sufficient ways
There are ways which lead to everything, and if we have sufficient will we should always have sufficient means.
affairs ashamed few love people sad-love
There are few people who are not ashamed of their love affairs when the infatuation is over.
french-writer frequently vices virtues
Our virtues are most frequently but vices in disguise.
becomes doubt entirely madness pass soon stops
Live on doubts; it becomes madness or stops entirely as soon as we pass from doubt to certainty.
advice deceived mistrust shameful
It is more shameful to mistrust one's friends than to be deceived by them
easy others wisdom wise
It is more easy to be wise for others than for ourselves.
failure means people rather
It is for want of application, rather than of means that people fail,