One must, so long as there is any life left, back up the character of one's life.

inventiveness is childish, practice sublime.

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.

As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more freely.

Life, for me, is living among my friends.

A voyage without companionship, that is to say without conversation, is one of the saddest pleasures of life.

[On Napoleon:] One has the impression of an imperious wind blowing about one's ears when one is near that man.