One is more certain to influence men, to produce more effect on them, by absurdities than by sensible ideas.

Oh well, no matter what happens, there's always death.

Malice delights to blacken the characters of prominent men.

In tragedy great men are more truly great than in history. We see them only in the crises which unfold them.

When I give a minister an order, I leave it to him to find the means to carry it out.

Impatience is a great obstacle to success; he who treats everything with brusqueness gathers nothing, or only immature fruit which will never ripen.

Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.