"Unlike the majority of the writers of his age, La Rochefoucauld was an aristocrat; and this fact gives a peculiar tone to his work"

Lytton Strachey's observation about La Rochefoucauld in the quote highlights the impact of social class on literary work. Strachey mentions that La Rochefoucauld was an aristocrat, an element that set him apart from most of his coexisting writers. This distinction is not simply a group note; it substantially colors the tone and content of La Rochefoucauld's work.

Being an aristocrat, La Rochefoucauld had a special perspective on society, one that was inherently tied to opportunity, power, and the intricacies of court life. Aristocrats at the time were thoroughly knowledgeable about the complexities of social maneuvering and the nuanced dance of impact and credibility. This perspective enabled La Rochefoucauld to produce works identified by insight into human nature, especially relating to themes of vanity, self-interest, and the often-hidden motivations behind individuals's actions.

His popular work, "Maxims", exposes these insights through succinct, sharp aphorisms that show both a keen observation of human habits and a certain detachment, possibly borne from his noble status. While lots of writers might focus on the wider stories of society, La Rochefoucauld's work distills human behavior to its essence, analyzing the duplicity and contradictions fundamental in humanity, which he would have observed firsthand within the microcosm of the French court.

In addition, the "strange tone" Strachey refers to might also encapsulate a certain elegance and polish attribute of the upper class, in addition to a degree of cynicism and realism about social interactions and human motives. Noble life exposed La Rochefoucauld to the subtleties of power, alliance, and betrayal, components that are clearly alive in his works.

In short, Lytton Strachey recommends that La Rochefoucauld's noble background offered him with both the material and perspective that differentiate his work from that of most writers of his time, endowing it with a timeless, incisive quality that continues to resonate.