Pierre Choderlos de Laclos quotes

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos was a French novelist, army general, and essayist, most famous for his novel "Les Liaisons dangereuses." This work is considered one of the greatest literary achievements of the 18th century, exploring themes of manipulation and morality in high society. He is remembered for his complex characters and psychological insight. Here are 16 of his quotes:

Love, like medicine, is only the art of encouraging nature.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

Revenge is a dish best eaten cold.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

Only love can make one happy.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

An opportunity missed once will present itself again, whereas a too hasty action can never be recalled.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

Success, which is not always a proof of merit, depends more often on the choice of a subject than on its execution.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

I was astonished at the pleasure to be derived from doing good.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

One hand was needed for power, the other for love: where is the orator that could aspire to grace in such a position?

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

Luxury, nowadays, is ruinous. We criticize, but must conform, and superfluities in the end deprive us of necessities.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

The shame love causes is like its pain; we only feel it once. We may feign it afterwards, but we do not feel it. However, the pleasure remains, and that is indeed something.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

Man enjoys the happiness he feels, woman the happiness she gives. This difference, so essential and yet so seldom noticed, has a marked difference on the whole of their respective behaviour. A man's pleasure is to satisfy desires, a woman's is chiefly to arouse them.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

One may quote bad poetry if it is by a great poet.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

One has lived long enough if one has had time to win the love of women and the esteem of men.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

With men, you say yourself, infidelity is not inconstancy.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

One's ridiculousness increases in proportion as one denies it.

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos