Quotes from Francois de La Rochefoucauld

A fool has not material enough to be good. [Fr., Un sot n'a pas assez d'etoffe pour etre bon.]

The height of ability in the least able consists in knowing how to submit to the good leadership of others.

Everyone complains of his memory, and nobody complains of his judgment.

Whatever good things people say of us, they tell us nothing new.

Moderation is a fear of falling into that envy and contempt which those who grow giddy with their good fortune quite justly draw upon themselves. It is a vain boasting of the greatness of our mind.

Organize one's values in the order of their worth

Small minds are much distressed by little things. Great minds see them all but are not upset by them.

They that apply themselves to trifling matters commonly become incapable of great ones.

It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone.

Everyone takes pleasure in returning small obligations, many people acknowledge moderate ones; but there are only a scarce few who do not pay great ones with ingratitude.

As it is the mark of great minds to say many things in a few words, so it is that of little minds to use many words to say nothing.

However glorious an action in itself, it ought not to pass for great if it be not the effect of wisdom and intention.

Great souls are not those who have fewer passions and more virtues than others, but only those who have greater designs.

Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it.

A man's happiness or unhappiness depends as much on his temperament as on his destiny.

Happiness is in the taste, and not in the things.

We take less pains to be happy, than to appear so.

Before strongly desiring anything, we should look carefully into the happiness of its present owner.

Before we passionately desire a thing, we should examine the happiness of its possessor.

Happiness is in the taste, and not in the things themselves; we are happy from possessing what we like, not from possessing what others like.

Happiness does not consist in things themselves but in the relish we have of them.

Bodily labor alleviates the pains of the mind and from this arises the happiness of the poor

Preserving health by too severe a rule is a worrisome malady.

One should treat one's fate as one does one's health; enjoy it when it is good, be patient with it when it is poor, and never attempt any drastic cure save as an ultimate resort.