Margaret of Valois Quotes

It is the same in love as in war; a fortress that parleys is half taken.

God has put into the heart of man love and the boldness to sue, and into the heart of woman fear and the courage to refuse.

There are few husbands whom the wife cannot win in the long run, by patience and love.

We shall all be perfectly virtuous when there is no longer any flesh on our bones.

envy and hatred fascinate the eyes and never make them see things as they are.

Bashfulness is not becoming to maidenhood, though modesty always is.

There is no greater fool than the man who thinks himself wise; no one is wiser than he who suspects he is a fool.

A woman of honor should never suspect another of things she would not do herself.

We are always more disposed to laugh at nonsense than at genuine wit; because the nonsense is more agreeable to us, being more comfortable to our natures.

distrust ... is the beginning of hatred.

Mistrust is the sure forerunner of hatred.

Science conducts us, step by step, through the whole range of creation, until we arrive, at length, at God.

Joy takes away from us the thoughts of our actions; sorrow it is that awakens the soul.

Excitement is the drunkenness of the spirits. Only calm waters reflect heaven in their bosom.

It is only the educated who can produce or appreciate high art.

No one perfectly loves God who does not perfectly love some of his creatures.

Adversity is solitary, while prosperity dwells in a crowd

Extreme concupiscence may be found under extreme austerity.

The cup of joy is heaviest when empty.

I should rejoice if my pleasures were as pleasing to God as they are to myself.

Delicacy is the genuine tint of virtue.

Gold adulterates one thing only,--the human heart.

Servitude is inherent; we are all slaves to duty or to force.

Prudence advises us to use our enemies as if one day they might be friends.

The more hidden the venom, the more dangerous it is.

The woman who does not choose to love should cut the matter short at once, by holding out no hopes to her suitor.

Love works in miracles every day: such as weakening the strong, and stretching the weak; making fools of the wise, and wise men of fools; favouring the passions, destroying reason, and in a word, turning everything topsy-turvy.

There are women so hard to please that it would seem as if nothing less than an angel would suit them; and hence it comes that they often encounter devils.