In all aspects of life, we take on a part and an appearance to seem to be what we wish to be--and thus the world is merely composed of actors.

— François de La Rochefoucauld

In jealousy there is more of self-love than love

— François de La Rochefoucauld

In love, we often doubt what we most believe.

— François de La Rochefoucauld

It is easier to understand mankind in general than any individual man.

— François de La Rochefoucauld

It is much easier to extinguish a first desire than to satisfy all of those that follow it.

— François de La Rochefoucauld

It is with true love as with ghosts. Every one talks of it but few have seen it.

— François de La Rochefoucauld

Neither the sun nor death can be looked at steadily.

— François de La Rochefoucauld

Nobody deserves to be praised for goodness unless he is strong enough to be bad.

— François de La Rochefoucauld

Nobody deserves to be praised for goodness unless he is strong enough to be bad, for any other goodness is usually merely inertia or lack of will-power

— François de La Rochefoucauld

No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.

— François de La Rochefoucauld