Absence diminishes commonplace passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and kindles fire.
Category: François de la Rochefoucauld
François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillac (French: [fʁɒ̃ˌs̪wä d̪(ə) l̺ä ʁɔʃfuˈko]; 15 September 1613 – 17 March 1680) was a noted French author of maxims and memoirs.
Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils; but present evils triumph over it.
Humility is often only a feigned submission of which we make use to render others submissive. It is an artifice of pride which abases in order to exalt itself.
Few men are sufficiently discerning to appreciate all the evil they do.
Hypocrisy is the homage that vice pays to virtue.
Our virtues are most frequently but vices disguised.
We have all sufficient strength to endure the misfortunes of others.
We need greater virtues to sustain good than evil fortune.
Neither the sun nor death can be looked at with a steady eye.
Interest speaks all sorts of tongues, and plays all sorts of parts, even that of disinterestedness.
We are never so happy or so unhappy as we suppose.
There are few people who would not be ashamed of being loved when they love no longer.
True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen.
Virtue would not make such advances if there were not a little vanity to keep it company.