The only equitable manner in my opinion, of judging the character of a man is to examine if there are personal calculations in his conduct; if there are not, we may blame his manner of judging, but we are not the less bound to esteem him.
Madame de StaelThe study of history, it seems to me, leads to the conviction that all important events tend toward the same end - the civilization of mankind.
Madame de StaelI do not want an echo of myself from my children. I do not want to hear from them merely the reverberation of my own voice.
Madame de Stael