La Rochefoucauld, Francois -- Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶253 (1665-1678) [tr. FitzGibbon (1957)]

Dave — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:14:11 +0000

Self-interest will set all sorts of virtues and vices in motion.

[L’intérêt met en œuvre toutes sortes de vertus et de vices.]

François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble
Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶253 (1665-1678) [tr. FitzGibbon (1957)]
(Source)

Present in the 1st (1665) edition. In the manuscript form it reads "L’intérêt donne toutes sortes de vertus et de vices."

See also ¶¶ 171, 305.

(Source (French)). Other translations:

Interest is the Thing that puts Men upon Exercising their Vertues and Vices of All Kinds.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶254]

Interest puts in motion all the virtues and vices.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶258; ed. Lepoittevin-Lacroix (1797), ¶238]

The virtues and vices are all set in motion by interest.
[ed. Carvill (1835), ¶225]

Interest brings into play every sort of virtue and of vice.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶265]

Interest sets at work all sorts of virtues and vices.
[tr. Bund/Friswell (1871), ¶253]

Selfishness brings into play all manner of vices and virtues.
[tr. Heard (1917), ¶261]

Selfishness makes use of virtues and vices of every kind.
[tr. Stevens (1939), ¶253]

Self-interest turns to account all kinds of virtues and vices.
[tr. Kronenberger (1959), ¶253]

Self-interest sets in motion virtues and vices of all kinds.
[tr. Tancock (1959), ¶253]

Self-interest puts in motion every kind of virtue and of vice.
[tr. Whichello (2016) ¶253]

Roosevelt, Eleanor -- Column (1943-08-13), “My Day”

Dave — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 16:59:37 +0000

It seems to me that it is the part of common sense for the world as a whole to protest in its own interest against wholesale persecution, because none of us by ourselves would be strong enough to stand against a big enough group which decided to treat us in the same way. We may have our individual likes and dislikes, but this is a question which far transcends prejudices or inclinations.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) First Lady of the US (1933–1945), politician, diplomat, activist
Column (1943-08-13), “My Day”
(Source)

On the persecution of Jews in Europe.

WIST Quotations

La Rochefoucauld, Francois -- Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶253 (1665-1678) [tr. FitzGibbon (1957)]

Roosevelt, Eleanor -- Column (1943-08-13), “My Day”