Ability is of little account without opportunity.

The bed has become a place of luxury to me! I would not exchange it for all the thrones in the world.

Alexander Caesar Charlemagne and I myself have founded empires but upon what do these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His empire upon love and to this very day millions would die for Him.

A cowardly act! What do I care about that? You may be sure that I should never fear to commit one if it were to my advantage.

Where flowers degenerate man cannot live.

Forethought we may have undoubtedly but not foresight.

France always has plenty men of talent but it is always deficient in men of action and high character.

What is history but a fable agreed upon?

The human race is governed by its imagination.

Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools.

Do you know what is more hard to bear than the reverses of fortune? It is the baseness the hideous ingratitude of man.

I fear three newspapers more than a hundred thousand bayonets.

The only victory over love is flight.

Men in general are but great great children.

We must laugh at man to avoid crying for him.

Soldiers forty centuries are looking down upon you from these pyramids.

Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.

Give me a man with a good allowance of nose ... when I want any good head-work done I choose a man - provided his education has been suitable - with a long nose.

If they want peace nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon-shots.

Victory belongs to the most persevering.

There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.

It requires more courage to suffer than to die.

It is cowardice to commit suicide.

A man's palate can in time become accustomed to anything.

Public instruction should be the first object of government.

For the maintenance of peace nations should avoid the pin-pricks which forerun cannon-shots.