“Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance.”

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.