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Quotes of the Day for 15 September 2004 - La Rochefoucauld

François La Rochefoucauld was born at Paris on this day in 1613. From a noble family, he was destined to make an impact and was trained in Latin, mathematics, fencing, dancing, heraldry, and etiquette. He was in command of a regiment at age fifteen. He took issue with certain powerful persons, specifically Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin, which meant he was banished on several occasions and made his home in the Bastille briefly. Later in life he joined a salon in which the goal was to carefully hone observations on human character in one sentence. He turned out to be both prolific and skilled in this, endearing him to quotation collectors ever since.

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

If we resist our passions, it is more from their weakness than from our strength.

Not all those who know their minds know their hearts as well.

Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.

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

There is no accident so disastrous that a clever man cannot derive some profit from it; nor any so fortunate that a fool cannot turn it to his disadvantage.

There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not.

Old men are fond of giving good advice to console themselves for their inability to give bad examples.
     - All from François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, 1613 - 1680

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