A man who makes known his love by words is a fool.

When a man gets it into his head to do something, and when he exclusively occupies himself in that design, he must succeed, whatever the difficulties. That man will become Grand Vizier or Pope.

Beauty without wit offers nothing but the enjoyment of its material charms, whilst witty ugliness captivates by the charms of the mind, and at last fulfils all the desires of the man it has captivated.

Real love is the love that sometimes arises after sensual pleasure: if it does, it is immortal; the other kind inevitably goes stale, for it lies in mere fantasy.

I have loved women even to madness, but I have always loved liberty better.

It is only necessary to have courage, for strength without self-confidence is useless.

The raging fire which urged us on was scorching us; it would have burned us had we failed to restrain it.