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Academy Resources Glossary of Philosophical Terms Timeline of Philosophy A Timeline of American Philosophy Diagram: Development of Philosophic Thought Diagram: Divisions of Philosophy The Philosophy Resource Center The Religion Resource Center Books about Philosophy in The Radical Academy Bookstore Books about Religion in The Radical Academy Bookstore Click Here for New & Used College Textbooks at Discount Prices Click Here for College Education Information & Study Resources Shop Amazon Stores in the Radical Academy Bookstore Magazine Outlet Music Store Classical Music Store Video Store DVD Store Computer Store Camera & Photo Store Computer/Video Games Software Store Musical Instruments Outlet Store Cellular Phones Toys & Games Tools & Hardware Automotive Store Outdoor Living Consumer Electronics Home & Garden Kitchen & Housewares Baby Superstore Apparel & Accessories Gourmet Food Grocery Store Sporting Goods Jewelry & Watches Health & Personal Care Beauty Store		Reflections by Duc de La Rochefoucauld, François VI [Prince de Marsillac]   What we term virtue is often but a mass of various actions and divers interests, which fortune, or our own industry, manage to arrange; and it is not always from valor or from chastity that men are brave, and women chaste. Self-love is the greatest of flatterers. Passion often renders the most clever man a fool, and even sometimes renders the most foolish man clever. Great and striking actions which dazzle the eyes are represented by politicians as the effect of great designs, instead of which they are commonly caused by the temper and the passions. Thus the war between Augustus and Antony, which is set down to the ambition they entertained of making themselves masters of the world, was probably but an effect of jealousy. Passions often produce their contraries: avarice sometimes leads to prodigality, and prodigality to avarice; we are often obstinate through weakness and daring through timidity. Whatever care we take to conceal our passions under the appearances of piety and honor, they are always to be seen through these veils. The clemency of princes is often but policy to win the affections of the people. This clemency, of which they make a merit, arises oftentimes from vanity, sometimes from idleness, oftentimes from fear, and almost always from all three combined. We have all sufficient strength to support he misfortunes of others. The constancy of the wise is only the talent of concealing the agitation of their hearts. Those who are condemned to death affect sometimes a constancy and contempt for death which is only the fear of facing it; so that one may say that this constancy and contempt are to their mind what the bandage is to their eyes. Few people know death, we only endure it, usually from determination, and even from stupidity and custom; and most men only die because they know not how to prevent dying. We need greater virtues to sustain good than evil fortune. Neither the sun nor death can be looked at without winking. People are often vain of their passions, even of the worst, but envy is a passion so timid and shamefaced that no one ever dare avow her. The evil that we do does not attract to us so much persecution and hatred as our good qualities. Jealousy lives upon doubt; and comes to an end or becomes a fury as soon as it passes from doubt to certainty. It would seem that nature, which has so wisely ordered the organs of our body for our happiness, has also given us pride to spare us the mortification of knowing our imperfections. Those who apply themselves too closely to little things often become incapable of great things. A man often believes himself leader when he is led; as his mind endeavors to reach on goal, his heart insensibly drags him towards another. Whatever difference there appears in our fortunes, there is nevertheless a certain comprehension of good and evil which renders them equal. The contempt of riches in philosophers was only a hidden desire to avenge their merit upon the injustice of fortune, by despising the very goods of which fortune had deprived them; it was a secret to guard themselves against the degradation of poverty, it was a back way by which to arrive at that distinction which they could not gain by riches. To establish ourselves in the world we do everything to appear as if we were established. Although men flatter themselves with their great actions, they are not so often the result of a great design as of chance. Happiness is in the taste, and not in the things themselves; we are happy from possessing what we like, not from possessing what others like. We are never so happy or so unhappy as we suppose.   Excerpted from Reflections, by Duc de La Rochefoucauld Maxims, by La Rochefoucauld La Rochefoucauld Maxims, by Edward M. Stack Enrich Your Life With a Philosophy Book... Enrich Your Life With a Philosophy Magazine... Academy Showcase Specials   Introduction & Directory
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