Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world.

I have doubtless erred more or less in politics, but a crime I never committed.

I have never loved anyone for love's sake except, perhaps, Josephine - a little.

The reason I beat the Austrians is, they did not known the value of five minutes

I saw the crown of France laying on the ground, so I picked it up with my sword.

Military despotism represses generous sentiments, priestly tyranny stifles them.

The great difficulty with politics is, that there are no established principles.

The great proof of madness is the disproportion of one's designs to one's means.

Nothing is more arrogant than the weakness which feels itself supported by power.

The bayonet has always been the weapon of the brave and the chief tool of victory

A man is known by his conduct to his wife, to his family, and to those under him.

America is a fortunate country. She grows by the follies of our European nations.

Few really believe. The most only believe that they believe or even make believe.

Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.

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

Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them.

I want the whole of Europe to have one currency; it will make trading much easier.

There is no such thing as an accident, only a failure to recognise the hand of fate

The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.

A magistrate is not a father; he must be just and severe. Only tyrants are fathers.

Men of genius are meteors destined to burn themselves out in lighting up their age.

The only way to lead people is to show them a future: a leader is a dealer in hope.

Once you have made up your mind, stick to it; there is no longer any 'if' or 'but'.

Doctors will have more lives to answer for in the next world than even we generals.

Sometimes a great example is necessary to all the public functionaries of the state.

In our time no one has the conception of what is great. It is up to me to show them.

Tis a principle of war that when you can use the lightning, 'tis better than cannon.

When you have an enemy in your power, deprive him of the means of ever injuring you.

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

All becomes easy when we follow the current of opinion; it is the ruler of the world.

Obedience to public authority ought not to be based either on ignorance or stupidity.

The unwilling soldier will do anything to fight for a useless fabric piece of ribbon.

You must not fear death, my lads; defy him, and you drive him into the enemy's ranks.

If you know a country's geography, you can understand and predict its foreign policy.

Chess is too difficult to be a game and not serious enough to be a science or an art.

Oh Man, Man. How despicable in slavery, how great when fired with the love of freedom!

There is only one favorable moment in war; talent consists in knowing how to seize it.

It would be a joke if the conduct of the victor had to be justified to the vanquished.

A king is sometimes obliged to commit crimes; but they are the crimes of his position.

Public morals are natural complement of all laws they are by themselves an entire code.

All the scholastic scaffolding falls, as a ruined edifice, before a single word: faith.

A new-born Government must shine and astonish - the moment it loses its éclat it falls.

It is not necessary to prohibit or encourage oddities of conduct which are not harmful.

You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.

The allies we gain by victory will turn against us upon the bare whisper of our defeat.

What a solace Christianity must be to one who has an undoubted conviction of its truth!

Love is the idler's occupation, the warrior's relaxation, and the sovereign's ruination.

Victory and disaster establish indestructible bonds between armies and their commanders.

Between a battle lost and a battle won, the distance is immense and there stand empires.

A man who has no consideration for the needs of his men ought never to be given command.

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