The reason so few men can carry on a sensible and agreeable conversation is that there is hardly one but thinks more of what he himself intends to say than of what is being said to him by others. Sometimes even the cleverest and politest man only feigns attention, while we can see by his eyes that his mind has gone back to polish up his own remarks. He does not consider that the worst way to win over others is to talk for his own pleasure, and that the best conversationalist is he who listens with care and answers to the point.
More Quotes from Francois de La Rochefoucauld:
Usually we praise only to be praised.Francois de La Rochefoucauld
If it were not for the company of fools, a witty man would often be greatly at a loss.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
We easily forgive our friends those faults that do no affect us ourselves.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
When we are in love we often doubt that which we most believe.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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Based on Topics: Attention Quotes, Man Quotes, Pleasure QuotesBased on Keywords: cleverest, conversationalist, feigns, politest
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