The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body; after all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind, and they are in continual danger of breaking the skin and bursting out again.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mental flaws can leave lasting impressions, similar to physical scars.
This quote by Francois De La Rochefoucauld suggests that the imperfections and shortcomings of our minds are akin to physical wounds. Even with extensive care and effort to address these issues, they often leave scars that serve as reminders of our vulnerabilities, and there is always the risk of these flaws resurfacing if not properly managed.
Themes
Mental HealthScarsImperfectionsVulnerabilityHealing
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about resilience, one might use this quote to illustrate how our past challenges shape us.
More from Francois De La Rochefoucauld
All quotes →Old men delight in giving good advice as a consolation for the fact that they can no longer set bad examples.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
Some counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceived by them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
To understand matters rightly we should understand their details; and as that knowledge is almost infinite, our knowledge is always superficial and imperfect.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
In most of mankind gratitude is merely a secret hope of further favors.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
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