Of all the peoples of Europe, Spaniards disgust me the least.

Those who have changed the universe have never done it by changing officials, but always by inspiring the people.

Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest to allow anyone to take her away from me.

Independence, like honor, is a rocky island, without a beach.

Society cannot exist without inequality of fortunes and the inequality of fortunes could not subsist without religion. Whenever a half-starved person is near another who is glutted, it is impossible to reconcile the difference if there is not an authority who tells him to.

It is in times of difficulty that great nations like great men display the whole energy of their character and become an object of admiration to posterity.

If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.