“There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may be useful to us; and the other, from pride which comes from the wish to know what others are ignorant of.”

French aristocrat and 17th-century writer. His *Maxims* dissect human nature with razor-sharp wit, exposing contradictions in pride, love, and ambition. Often called the father of modern moral aphorisms, his work remains a timeless lens on vanity and self-interest.