It is beyond a doubt that during the sixteenth century, and the years immediately preceding and following it, poisoning had been brought to a pitch of perfection which remains unknown to modern chemistry, but which is indisputably proved by history. Italy, the cradle of modern science, was at that time, the inventor and mistress of these secrets, many of which are lost.

Love has its own instinct, finding the way to the heart, as the feeblest insect finds the way to its flower, with a will which nothing can dismay nor turn aside.

It is easy to sit up and take notice, What is difficult is getting up and taking action.

Cruelty and fear shake hands together.

Hatred is the vice of narrow souls; they feed it with all their littleness, and make it the pretext of base tyrannies.

The privilege of feeling at home everywhere belongs only to kings, wolves and robbers.

The fact is that love is of two kinds, one which commands, and one which obeys. The two are quite distinct, and the passion to which the one gives rise is not the passion of the other.