“We would rather speak ill of ourselves than not to talk of ourselves at all.” — Francois de la Rochefoucauld
(I think this would be better if he had started this with “Some” instead of “We”. I know some – okay, many – people who behave this way, but I also know people who don’t feel that they have to talk about themselves. Maybe Frankie wasn’t as self-assured as he led people to believe??? Be well and do good, friends.) — YUR
François assumed that everybody was fundamentally vain and egotistical. In this respect, he prefigured modern-day politicians!
I figured he was just employing the “Imperial We”! LOL! — YUR