Catherine the Great Quotes

Power without a nation's confidence is nothing.

[On Peter III:] He did not have a bad heart; but a weak man usually has not.

The laws ought to be so framed as to secure the safety of every citizen as much as possible. ... Political liberty does not consist in the notion that a man may do whatever he pleases; liberty is the right to do whatsoever the laws allow. ... The equality of the citizens consists in that they should all be subject to the same laws.

Praise is the only gift for which people are really grateful. Marguerite, Countess of Blessington I praise loudly; I blame softly.

bad news travels faster than good.

it is better to inspire a reform than to enforce it.

The most sure, but at the same time the most difficult expedient to mend the morals of the people, is a perfect system of education.

You philosophers are lucky men. You write on paper and paper is patient. Unfortunate Empress that I am, I write on the susceptible skins of living beings.

I shall be an autocrat: that's my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that's his.

self-interest usually brings injustice with it.

I sincerely want peace, not because I lack resources for war, but because I hate bloodshed.

You were in a mood to quarrel. Please inform me once the inclination passes.

I praise loudly and I blame softly.

Happiness and unhappiness are in the heart and spirit of each one of us: If you feel unhappy, then place yourself above that and act so that your happiness does not get to be dependent on anything.

Any man who doesn't partake in cigar smoking is nothing more than a weak-willed, meandering oaf, and I would never put my lips to those of any creature, man or beast, whose lips were not fresh awash in the currents of cigar smoke.'

If I may venture to be frank I would say about myself that I was every inch a gentleman.

In politics a capable ruler must be guided by circumstances, conjectures and conjunctions.

In my position you have to read when you want to write and to talk when you would like to read.

You should know our mania for building is stronger than ever. It is a diabolical thing. It consumes money and the more you build, the more you want to build. It's a sickness like being addicted to alcohol.

Tell a thousand people to draft a letter, let them debate every phrase, and see how long it takes and what you get.

Nothing is more difficult, in my opinion, than to avoid something that fundamentally attracts you.

If Russians knew how to read, they would write me off.

I like to praise and reward in a loud voice and to scold in a whisper.

the title of Queen rang sweet to my ears, child though I was. ... This idea of a crown began running in my head then like a tune, and has been running a lot in it ever since.

All punishments by which the human body might be maimed are barbarbarism.

I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.

Your wit makes others witty.

A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.

The use of torture is contrary to sound judgment and common sense. Humanity itself cries out against it, and demands it to be utterly abolished.

you must be gay; only thus can life be endured. I speak from experience for I have had to endure much, and have only been able to endure it because I have always laughed whenever I had the chance.

I cannot live one day without love.

The more a man knows, the more he forgives.

God, grant us our desires, and grant them quickly.

I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster.

Don't worry about things you cannot alter

to tempt and be tempted are closely allied; and in spite of all the finest moral maxims buried in the mind, when emotion interferes, when feeling makes its appearance, one is already much further involved that one realizes, and I have still not learnt how to prevent its appearance.

To tempt, and to be tempted, are things very nearly allied, and, in spite of the finest maxims of morality impressed upon the mind, whenever feeling has anything to do in the matter, no sooner is it excited than we have already gone vastly farther than we are aware of, and I have yet to learn how it is possible to prevent its being excited.

Men make love more intensely at 20, but make love better, however, at 30.

The trouble is that my heart is loath to be without love even for a single hour. ... If you want to keep me forever, then show as much friendship as love, and more than anything else, love me and tell me the truth.

I may be kindly, I am ordinarily gentle, but in my line of business I am obliged to will terribly what I will at all.

What right can give anyone authority to inflict torture upon a citizen when it is still unknown whether he is innocent or guilty?

Experience shows that the frequent use of severe punishment has never rendered a people better. The death of a criminal is a less effective means of restraining crimes than the permanent example of a man deprived of his liberty during the whole of his life to make amends for the injury he has done to the public.

I do not love strife, because I have always found that in the end each remains of the same opinion.

I am one of the people who love the why of things.

Your wits make others witty.