Study the heart and the mind of man, and begin with your own. Meditation and reflection must lay the foundation of that knowledge, but experience and practice must, and alone can, complete it.

The possibility of remedying imprudent actions is commonly an inducement to commit them.

Patience is the most necessary quality for business, many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request.

Arbitrary power has seldom... been introduced in any country at once. It must be introduced by slow degrees, and as it were step by step.

It may be objected, that I am now recommending dissimulation to you; I both own and justify it. It has been long said: Qui nescitdissimular nescit regnare: I go still farther, and say, that without some dissimulation, no business can be carried on at all.

History is but a confused heap of facts.

If you would convince others, seem open to conviction yourself.