In jealousy there is more self-love than love.

François de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680), a French aristocrat and moralist, is best known for his *Maximes*, a collection of terse observations on human motives first published in 1665 and expanded in later editions. Writing in the milieu of the Paris salons and the court culture of Louis XIV—where reputation, rivalry, and romantic intrigue were constant—he developed a skeptical psychology centered on *amour-propre* (self-love). This aphorism reflects his broader project: to strip seemingly noble emotions of their flattering disguises and show how often they are driven by vanity, insecurity, and the desire to possess or be preferred.

The maxim argues that jealousy is less a proof of deep affection than a symptom of wounded self-regard. When we are jealous, La Rochefoucauld suggests, we are often defending our status, pride, or sense of being uniquely valued—fearing replacement, humiliation, or loss of control—rather than primarily caring for the beloved’s good. The line fits his recurring claim that many “virtues” and “passions” are covertly governed by *amour-propre*. Its sting lies in reversing a common romantic justification (“I’m jealous because I love”): jealousy may reveal possessiveness and vanity more than genuine, generous love.