Francois de La Rochefoucauld Biography

Francois de La Rochefoucauld, Writer
Occup.Writer
FromFrance
BornSeptember 15, 1613
DiedMarch 17, 1680
Aged66 years
François de La Rochefoucauld was a French writer, theorist, and also moralist, best recognized for his "Maximes"-- a collection of proverbs as well as epigrams illustrating life knowledge and also conduct-- and his "Mémoires", which provide understandings into the political upheavals in France during the 17th century. His job, identified by its concise, insightful, as well as frequently negative take on human nature, gained him a popular area in French literary works and affected numerous generations of authors.

Born upon September 15, 1613, in Paris, France, François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillac, was the boy of François V de La Rochefoucauld as well as Gabrielle du Plessis-Liancourt. As an heir of among France's oldest as well as most influential noble families, François received a considerable education and learning, studying at the Jesuit College in La Flèche and the College de Clermont, where he got expertise in literary works, background, and approach.

In 1629, at the age of 16, La Rochefoucauld wed Andrée de Vivonne, with whom he had 8 kids. Throughout his life, he was involved crazy affairs with numerous significant ladies, consisting of the well-known writer Madame de La Fayette, with whom he kept a lifelong friendship and intellectual cooperation.

La Rochefoucauld entered the French court as a boy and also soon became involved in military affairs. He fought fearlessly in the Italian project throughout the Franco-Spanish War in the early 1630s, differentiating himself in the Battle of Veillane (1630). However, his army profession was interrupted by the distressing political scenario in France.

The Fronde-- a series of civil battles that occurred in between 1648 and 1653-- found La Rochefoucauld greatly involved on the side of the rebellious the aristocracy dealing with versus the royalist military headed by the effective Cardinal Mazarin. La Rochefoucauld's resistance to imperial authority was inspired, partially, by individual complaints versus Mazarin and also the Crown, that he felt had not adequately compensated him for his solutions. He dealt with fearlessly during the war, even enduring serious injuries. Nonetheless, the eventual royalist triumph required La Rochefoucauld right into expatriation in Blois, where he began to create his memoirs.

Going back to Paris in 1659, complying with the Peace of the Pyrenees, La Rochefoucauld relinquished national politics as well as focused on his literary quests. It was during this duration that he completed the majority of his jobs, including the critical "Maximes" (1665). In his popular collection of sayings, La Rochefoucauld uses a distinct, commonly negative, and also insightful perspective on humanity, asserting that self-involvement drives all human activities, also those disguised as virtuous. The sharp wit and epigrammatic style of the "Maximes" accomplished substantial recognition and protected La Rochefoucauld's reputation as one of France's leading moralists.

La Rochefoucauld also composed other jobs, such as the "Mémoires"-- a semi-autobiographical publication that encompasses his monitorings of French culture and also politics during the Fronde civil wars. Additionally, his influence encompassed his contemporaries-- as an example, he functioned as a very early patron of the renowned French playwright Jean Racine.

François de La Rochefoucauld passed away on March 17, 1680, in Paris. His works, particularly the "Maximes", stay an important source of insight right into the social and also political environment of 17th-century France. La Rochefoucauld's name is identified with the moralist tradition in French literary works, and his succinct, penetrating observations continue to be appreciated as well as quoted today.

Our collection contains 173 quotes who is written / told by Francois, under the main topics: Love - Wisdom - Women - Men.

Related authors: Jean Racine (Dramatist), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

Francois de La Rochefoucauld Famous Works:
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173 Famous quotes by Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Small: Everyone complains of his memory, and nobody complains of his judgment
"Everyone complains of his memory, and nobody complains of his judgment"
Small: Its easier to be wise for others than for ourselves
"It's easier to be wise for others than for ourselves"
Small: Though nature be ever so generous, yet can she not make a hero alone. Fortune must contribute her part
"Though nature be ever so generous, yet can she not make a hero alone. Fortune must contribute her part too; and till both concur, the work cannot be perfected"
Small: We all have enough strength to endure the misfortunes of others
"We all have enough strength to endure the misfortunes of others"
Small: The sure mark of one born with noble qualities is being born without envy
"The sure mark of one born with noble qualities is being born without envy"
Small: It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone
"It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone"
Small: Gracefulness is to the body what understanding is to the mind
"Gracefulness is to the body what understanding is to the mind"
Small: Jealousy is bred in doubts. When those doubts change into certainties, then the passion either ceases o
"Jealousy is bred in doubts. When those doubts change into certainties, then the passion either ceases or turns absolute madness"
Small: Self-interest makes some people blind, and others sharp-sighted
"Self-interest makes some people blind, and others sharp-sighted"
Small: There is a kind of elevation which does not depend on fortune it is a certain air which distinguishes u
"There is a kind of elevation which does not depend on fortune; it is a certain air which distinguishes us, and seems to destine us for great things; it is a price which we imperceptibly set upon ourselves"
Small: There are very few things impossible in themselves and we do not want means to conquer difficulties so
"There are very few things impossible in themselves; and we do not want means to conquer difficulties so much as application and resolution in the use of means"
Small: There are very few people who are not ashamed of having been in love when they no longer love each othe
"There are very few people who are not ashamed of having been in love when they no longer love each other"
Small: There are various sorts of curiosity one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may
"There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may be useful to us; and the other, from pride which comes from the wish to know what others are ignorant of"
Small: There are heroes in evil as well as in good
"There are heroes in evil as well as in good"
Small: There are few virtuous women who are not bored with their trade
"There are few virtuous women who are not bored with their trade"
Small: There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess
"There are crimes which become innocent and even glorious through their splendor, number and excess"
Small: There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do
"There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do"
Small: There are bad people who would be less dangerous if they were quite devoid of goodness
"There are bad people who would be less dangerous if they were quite devoid of goodness"
Small: There are a great many men valued in society who have nothing to recommend them but serviceable vices
"There are a great many men valued in society who have nothing to recommend them but serviceable vices"
Small: The one thing people are the most liberal with, is their advice
"The one thing people are the most liberal with, is their advice"
Small: The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices
"The name and pretense of virtue is as serviceable to self-interest as are real vices"
Small: You can find women who have never had an affair, but it is hard to find a woman who has had just one
"You can find women who have never had an affair, but it is hard to find a woman who has had just one"
Small: Womens virtue is frequently nothing but a regard to their own quiet and a tenderness for their reputati
"Women's virtue is frequently nothing but a regard to their own quiet and a tenderness for their reputation"
Small: Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not
"Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person?"
Small: Why can we remember the tiniest detail that has happened to us, and not remember how many times we have
"Why can we remember the tiniest detail that has happened to us, and not remember how many times we have told it to the same person"
Small: What keeps us from abandoning ourselves entirely to one vice, often, is the fact that we have several
"What keeps us from abandoning ourselves entirely to one vice, often, is the fact that we have several"
Small: What is called generosity is usually only the vanity of giving we enjoy the vanity more than the thing
"What is called generosity is usually only the vanity of giving; we enjoy the vanity more than the thing given"
Small: Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended
"Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended"
Small: We would rather speak ill of ourselves than not talk about ourselves at all
"We would rather speak ill of ourselves than not talk about ourselves at all"
Small: We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them
"We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them"
Small: We should often feel ashamed of our best actions if the world could see all the motives which produced
"We should often feel ashamed of our best actions if the world could see all the motives which produced them"
Small: We should often blush for our very best actions, if the world did but see all the motives upon which th
"We should often blush for our very best actions, if the world did but see all the motives upon which they were done"
Small: The more one loves a mistress, the more one is ready to hate her
"The more one loves a mistress, the more one is ready to hate her"
Small: The moderation of people in prosperity is the effect of a smooth and composed temper, owing to the calm
"The moderation of people in prosperity is the effect of a smooth and composed temper, owing to the calm of their good fortune"
Small: The mind is always the patsy of the heart
"The mind is always the patsy of the heart"
Small: The mind cannot long play the hearts role
"The mind cannot long play the heart's role"
Small: The man that thinks he loves his mistress for her own sake is mightily mistaken
"The man that thinks he loves his mistress for her own sake is mightily mistaken"
Small: The intellect is always fooled by the heart
"The intellect is always fooled by the heart"
Small: The heart is forever making the head its fool
"The heart is forever making the head its fool"
Small: The happiness and misery of men depend no less on temper than fortune
"The happiness and misery of men depend no less on temper than fortune"
Small: That good disposition which boasts of being most tender is often stifled by the least urging of self-in
"That good disposition which boasts of being most tender is often stifled by the least urging of self-interest"
Small: Taste may change, but inclination never
"Taste may change, but inclination never"
Small: Some people displease with merit, and others very faults and defects are pleasing
"Some people displease with merit, and others' very faults and defects are pleasing"
Small: Some counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceiv
"Some counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceived by them"
Small: Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of
"Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of"
Small: Silence is the safest course for any man to adopt who distrust himself
"Silence is the safest course for any man to adopt who distrust himself"
Small: Every one speaks well of his own heart, but no one dares speak well of his own mind
"Every one speaks well of his own heart, but no one dares speak well of his own mind"
Small: Decency is the least of all laws, but yet it is the law which is most strictly observed
"Decency is the least of all laws, but yet it is the law which is most strictly observed"
Small: Confidence contributes more to conversation than wit
"Confidence contributes more to conversation than wit"
Small: Conceit causes more conversation than wit
"Conceit causes more conversation than wit"
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