Reflections on Various Subjects (1665–1678), VII. On Air and Manner
Context: Few men, nevertheless, can have unison in many matters without being a copy of each other, if each follow his natural turn of mind. But in general a person will not wholly follow it. He loves to imitate. We often imitate the same person without perceiving it, and we neglect our own good qualities for the good qualities of others, which generally do not suit us.
François de La Rochefoucauld: Other
François de La Rochefoucauld was French author of maxims and memoirs. Explore interesting quotes on other.
François de La Rochefoucauld:
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Reflections on Various Subjects (1665–1678), VII. On Air and Manner
Context: There is an air which belongs to the figure and talents of each individual; we always lose it when we abandon it to assume another. We should try to find out what air is natural to us and never abandon it, but make it as perfect as we can. This is the reason that the majority of children please. It is because they are wrapt up in the air and manner nature has given them, and are ignorant of any other. They are changed and corrupted when they quit infancy, they think they should imitate what they see, and they are not altogether able to imitate it. In this imitation there is always something of falsity and uncertainty. They have nothing settled in their manner and opinions. Instead of being in reality what they want to appear, they seek to appear what they are not.
Reflections on Various Subjects (1665–1678), VII. On Air and Manner
Il ne faut pas s’offenser que les autres nous cachent la vérité puisque nous nous la cachons si souvent à nous-mêmes.
Maxim 11 from the Manuscrit de Liancourt.
Later Additions to the Maxims
“There are people who would never be in love had they not heard [others] speak of love”
Il y a des gens qui n'auraient jamais été amoureux s'ils n'avaint jamais entendu parler de l'amour.
Maxim 136. Variant translations:
People would never fall in love if they hadn’t heard love talked about.
There are some people who would never have fallen in love if they had not heard there was such a thing.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
Ce qui nous fait croire si facilement que les autres ont des défauts, c'est la facilité que l'on a de croire ce qu'on souhaite.
Variant translation: What makes us believe so easily that others have faults is the ease with which we believe what we hope for.
Maxim 25 from the Manuscrit de Liancourt.
Later Additions to the Maxims
“If we had no faults, we should not take so much pleasure in noting those of others.”
Si nous n'avions point de défauts, nous ne prendrions pas tant de plaisir à en remarquer dans les autres.
Maxim 31.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
“Lovers never get tired of each other, because they are always talking about themselves.”
Ce qui fait que les amants et les maîtresses ne s'ennuient point d'être ensemble, c'est qu'ils parlent toujours d'eux-mêmes.
Variant translation: What makes lovers and their mistresses never weary of being together is that they are always talking about themselves.
Maxim 312.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
Reflections on Various Subjects (1665–1678), II. On Difference of Character
Nul ne mérite d’être loué de bonté, s’il n’a pas la force d’être méchant: toute autre bonté n’est le plus souvent qu’une paresse ou une impuissance de la volonté.
Maxim 237.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
Reflections on Various Subjects (1665–1678), II. On Difference of Character
“The truest way to be deceived is to think oneself more knowing than others.”
Le vrai moyen d'être trompé, c'est de se croire plus fin que les autres.
Maxim 127.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
Il y a une élévation qui ne dépend point de la fortune: c’est un certain air qui nous distingue et qui semble nous destiner aux grandes choses; c’est un prix que nous nous donnons imperceptiblement à nous-mêmes; c’est par cette qualité que nous usurpons les déférences des autres hommes, et c’est elle d’ordinaire qui nous met plus au-dessus d’eux que la naissance, les dignités, et le mérite même.
Maxim 399.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
Reflections on Various Subjects (1665–1678), V. On Conversation
La sincérité est une ouverture de coeur. On la trouve en fort peu de gens; et celle que l'on voit d'ordinaire n'est qu'une fine dissimulation pour attirer la confiance des autres.
Maxim 62.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
“How can we expect others to keep our secrets if we cannot keep them ourselves?”
Comment prétendons-nous qu'un autre puisse garder notre secret, si nous ne pouvons le garder nous-mêmes?
Maxim 64 of the Maximes supprimées.
Later Additions to the Maxims
Reflections on Various Subjects (1665–1678), V. On Conversation
“We all have strength enough to endure the misfortunes of others.”
Nous avons tous assez de force pour supporter les maux d'autrui.
Maxim 19.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
Ce qui fait que si peu de personnes sont agréables dans la conversation, c'est que chacun songe plus à ce qu'il veut dire qu'à ce que les autres disent.
Réflexions diverses, IV: De la conversation.
Later Additions to the Maxims
“It is more difficult to avoid being ruled than to rule others.”
Il est plus difficile de s’empêcher d’être gouverné que de gouverner les autres.
Maxim 151.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)