The Maxims of François duc de La Rochefoucauld, first published in 1665, are among the most quoted sentences in the French language. The product of an aristocratic culture shaped by the salon of Mme de Sablé, they reduce human motivation to self-interest with an elegance and wit that makes the cynicism seem like wisdom — and often is.
Compact enough to read in an afternoon, profound enough to return to for a lifetime, the Maxims are essential reading in any survey of French literature. Download this public-domain English translation as a free EPUB.