Moralistes et leurs collections : La Rochefoucauld, La Bruyère, Mme de Pringy

The article is based on the review of works by three authors : La Rochefoucauld, La Bruyère, and Mme de Pringy. Following brief consideration of the status of the author and moralist, the author tries to demonstrate their works to be collections of thoughts and reflections moral in nature and, as in the case of every collection, never constitute a complete work. Like curios in a cabinet of curiosities, reflections and portraits in the works of moralists are continuously changing in line with intentions of the collector, who adds or rejects fragments, or changes their sequence.