François de la Rochefoucauld Quotes

[Cyprian]

I didn't know which section to post this under - it applies accross the board. These are just some quotes from François de la Rochefoucauld that I thought deserved to be looked at. Hundreds of years later most of them still ring true (at least for me). Which do you agree with?

 

"The only thing constant in life is change.”

 

“When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.”

 

“When love becomes labored we welcome an act of infidelity towards ourselves to free us from fidelity.”

 

"One forgives to the degree that one loves.”

 

"The heart is forever making the head its fool.”

 

"One can find women who have never had one love affair, but it is rare indeed to find any who have had only one.”

 

"Perfect valor is to behave, without witnesses, as one would act were all the world watching.”

 

"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.”

 

"It is with true love as it is with ghosts; everyone talks about it, but few have seen it.”

 

"Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.”

 

"Confidence contributes more to conversation than wit.”

 

"The struggle we undergo to remain faithful to one we love is little better than infidelity.”

 

"Hope and fear are inseparable. There is no hope without fear, nor any fear without hope.”

 

"Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others.”

 

"Absense weakens mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind blows out candles and kindles fires.”

 

"All women are flirts, but some are restrained by shyness, and others by sense.”

[laboheme]

Ah yes, good old de la Rochefoucauld. You know that somebody was a smart cookie when centuries later, their words still ring true. I know that the one about absense weakening and increasing passions has been quoted on this board quite a bit. I personally like the last one about all women being flirts -- I guess that means that not all hope is lost for me!

[Cyprian]

Guess were the only ones

[Cyprian]

I noticed you don't agree with these:

 

"All women are flirts, but some are restrained by shyness, and others by sense.”

 

What if he were to have voiced it as "All humans are flirts..."? Remember, he wrote this in the 1600s, right?

 

Once again, replace women with 'men'...

 

"One can find women who have never had one love affair, but it is rare indeed to find any who have had only one.”

 

I at least agree with these...