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Who really said it

We promise according to our hopes; we perform according to our fears

Written by François de La Rochefoucauld 1613–1680 · French writer and moralist
Verified Free to reuse

This is maxim 38 in the English translation by J. W. Willis Bund and J. Hain Friswell, published in 1871. The exact English wording belongs to that translation of La Rochefoucauld, rather than to the seventeenth-century French text.

Last verified 9 Nov 2026 · how we verify · spot an error?

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“We promise according to our hopes; we perform according to our fears” — François de La Rochefoucauld

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Provenance

The source

Work
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
Location
Maxim 38
Translation
J. W. Willis Bund and J. Hain Friswell, 1871
Original language
French

We promise according to our hopes; we perform according to our fears.

Literal wording in the fetched 1871 Willis Bund and Friswell translation; line breaks have been joined.

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How we verified this

Public domain

This exact English wording is in the 1871 Willis Bund and Friswell translation, whose title page is reproduced in the fetched edition. That pre-1931 English publication is public domain in the United States.

Rights status is our research, not legal advice — and copyright varies by country and edition. For commercial or published use, confirm with the rightsholder. See terms.

Context

Why it mattered

The maxim contrasts optimistic promises with behaviour shaped by fear.

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Hope Courage Character

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The author

About François de La Rochefoucauld

François de La Rochefoucauld

1613–1680 · French writer and moralist

French author of maxims and memoirs. His concise reflections examine self-interest, appearances and the motives behind social behaviour.

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The primary source (Chicago)

La Rochefoucauld, François de. Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims. Translated by J. W. Willis Bund and J. Hain Friswell. London, 1871. Maxim 38.

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Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘We promise according to our hopes; we perform according to our fears’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/we-promise-according-to-our-hopes-we-perform-according-to/

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