Maxims and Reflections

Maxims and Reflections is a collection of wisdom and advice by Francois Duc de La Rochefoucauld a noted French aristocrat soldier and author. La Rochefoucauld was born in 1613 in Paris to a wealthy family and was well-educated in the traditional aristocratic studies of the time which included military history court etiquette hunting proper dress comportment and world relations. He took an active interest in public and political issues at a young age and was well-known during his life for his bravery in military campaigns and for his involvement in sophisticated literary circles. In 1665 he published the first volume of his Maxims anonymously. These brief and eloquent words of wisdom and advice were quite popular when they first appeared. La Rochefoucauld went on to add and expand on the Maxims and published new editions several times throughout his life. The maxims and reflections compiled together in this edition touch on many aspects of life including love passion politics pride vanity sincerity and the countless quirks of human nature. La Rochefoucaulds observations are clever and astute and remain as thought-provoking and insightful as when they were first written. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows the translations of J. W. Willis Bund and J. Hain Friswell.