Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person? ”

What seems to be generosity is often no more than disguised ambition, which overlooks a small interest in order to secure a great one. ”

People's personalities, like buildings, have various facades, some pleasant to view, some not. ”

We all have enough strength to endure the misfortunes of others. ”

We are all strong enough to bear other men's misfortunes. ”

In the misfortunes of our best friends we always find something not altogether displeasing to us. ”

We are strong enough to bear the misfortunes of others. ”

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

Self-interest makes some people blind, and others sharp-sighted. ”

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