Maxims

“Maxims” is a collection of aphorisms that has become a code of everyday wisdom for many generations of Europeans![/b]

“MAXIMS” (from Latin maxima — “main rule, principle”) are sayings and aphorisms in which a life principle is formulated or people’s character and morals are described.

François de La Rochefoucauld was a French writer and moralist of the 17th century, a duke belonging to one of the most noble families in France. His life unfolded at the court of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. La Rochefoucauld was a confidant of Anne of Austria, took part in conspiracies against the cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin, was imprisoned in the Bastille, and then sent into exile.

La Rochefoucauld’s worldwide fame came from the “Maxims”—elegant and witty aphorisms, a kind of philosophical conclusion to observations about human nature and character.

I present to the readers this image of the human heart, bearing the title “Maxims and Moral Reflections.” It may not please everyone, for some may think it has too much resemblance to the original and too little flattery.

François de La Rochefoucauld