Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld

Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as
the wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire.
[Fr., read more

Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as
the wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire.
[Fr., L'absence diminue les mediocres passions et augmente les
grandes, comme le vent eteint les bougies et allume le feu.]

The passions are the only orators that always persuade: they
are, as it were, a natural art, the rules read more

The passions are the only orators that always persuade: they
are, as it were, a natural art, the rules of which are
infallible; and the simplest man with passion is more persuasive
than the most eloquent without it.

We can never be certain of our courage until we have faced
danger.
[Fr., On ne peut repondre read more

We can never be certain of our courage until we have faced
danger.
[Fr., On ne peut repondre de son courage quand on n'a jamais ete
dans le peril.]

The world rewards the appearance of merit oftener than merit
itself.
[Fr., Le monde recompense plus souvent les read more

The world rewards the appearance of merit oftener than merit
itself.
[Fr., Le monde recompense plus souvent les apparences de merite
que le merite meme.]

That which makes the vanity of others unbearable to us is that
which wounds our own.
[Fr., Ce read more

That which makes the vanity of others unbearable to us is that
which wounds our own.
[Fr., Ce qui nous rend la vanite des autres insupportable, c'est
qu'elle blesse la notre.]