Originally published in 1945, this book contains the French text of the 'Maximes' of François de la Rochefoucauld, which were first published anonymously in 1665. La Rochefoucauld himself added to the text many times during his life, and the version published here contains 641 of his maxims, along with the prefaces to the editions of 1665 and 1678 and two biographical portraits of the Duke in French by himself and by his fellow writer the Cardinal de Retz, Jean François Paul de Gondi. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in French literature and moral philosophy.