Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.

A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless.

In the tumult of men and events, solitude was my temptation; now it is my friend. What other satisfaction can be sought once you have confronted History?

I have tried to lift France out of the mud. But she will return to her errors and vomitings. I cannot prevent the French from being French.

It is better to have a bad method than to have none.

For glory gives herself only to those who have always dreamed of her.

As an adolescent I was convinced that France would have to go through gigantic trials, that the interest of life consisted in one day rendering her some signal service and that I would have the occasion to do so.