Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

Cunning is the dwarf of wisdom.

Cunning... is but the low mimic of wisdom.

With foxes we must play the fox.

CUNNING, n. The faculty that distinguishes a weak animal or person from a strong one. It brings its possessor much mental satisfaction and great material adversity. An Italian proverb says: "The furrier gets the skins of more foxes than asses."

Dissimulation is innate in woman, and almost as much a quality of the stupid as of the clever.

Whoever appears to have much cunning has in reality very little; being deficient in the essential article, which is, to hide cunning.

I'd rather be Jack be smart, than Jack be quick. Watch out for the man with the big fat licking stick.

One Man may be more cunning than another, but not more cunning than every body else.

Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.

Cunning differs from wisdom as twilight from open day.

In fact, to gull a fool seems to me an exploit worthy of a witty man.

For the task assigned them Men aren't smart enough or sly Any rogue can blind them With a clever lie.

The height of cleverness is to be able to conceal it.

Let a man be ne'er so wise, he may be caught with sober lies.

A man has made great progress in cunning when he does not seem too clever to others.

Cunning is a short blanket--if you pull it over your face, you expose your feet.

Cunning is only the mimic of discretion, and may pass upon weak men in the same manner as vivacity is often mistaken for wit, and gravity for wisdom.

Cunning is neither the consequence of sense, nor does it give sense. A proof that it is not sense, is that cunning people never imagine that others can see through them. It is the consequence of weakness.

Cunning proceeds from want of capacity.

It is a great act of cleverness to be able to conceal one's being clever.

I'm very good at manipulation.

I may be daft but I'm no' stupid!

cleverness is a disease.

And she’s very clever, Peeta. Well, she was. Until you outfoxed her

Undoubtedly ... there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. What bears affinity to cunning is despicable.