Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld ( 10 of 62 )
Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone.
Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone.
 To know how to hide one's ability is great skill.
 [Fr., C'est une grande habilete que de savoir cacher read more 
 To know how to hide one's ability is great skill.
 [Fr., C'est une grande habilete que de savoir cacher son 
habilete.] 
True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen.
True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen.
There is great ability in knowing how to conceal one's ability.
There is great ability in knowing how to conceal one's ability.
 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.] 
Jealousy lives upon doubts, it becomes madness or ceases entirely as soon as we pass from doubt to certainty.
Jealousy lives upon doubts, it becomes madness or ceases entirely as soon as we pass from doubt to certainty.
Hope, deceitful as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable read more
Hope, deceitful as it is, serves at least to lead us to the end of our lives by an agreeable route.
 Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every 
virtue at the testing point.  
 Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every 
virtue at the testing point. 
 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.] 
 We always love those who admire us, and we do not always love 
those whom we admire.  
 We always love those who admire us, and we do not always love 
those whom we admire.