In France that is the one rule, never make trouble.

When the loo paper gets thicker and the writing paper thinner, it's always a bad sign, at home.

Chickens are cheerless birds, I advise you to keep geese which can be taught to follow like dogs, one needs all the companionship one can get in these days.

Oh dear... it really is rather disillusioning. When one's friends marry for money they are wretched, when they marry for love it is worse. What is the proper thing to marry for, I should like to know?

Surely a King who loves pleasure is less dangerous than one who loves glory?

I do love translating; it is the pure pleasure of writing without the misery of inventing.

You've no idea how long life goes on and how many, many changes it brings. Young people seem to imagine that it's over in a flash, that they do this thing, or that thing, and then die, but I can assure you they are quite wrong.