Impatience is a great obstacle to success; he who treats everything with brusqueness gathers nothing, or only immature fruit which will never ripen.
It is easy to know when a government wishes for peace by observing the character of the person sent to negotiate for it.
Incidents should not govern policy; but, policy incidents.
If you want to get on in this world make many promises, but don’t keep them.
Collective crimes incriminate no one.
As to moral courage, I have very rarely met with the two o’clock in the morning kind. I mean unprepared courage, that which is necessary on an unexpected occasion, and which, in spite of the most unforeseen events, leaves full freedom of judgement and decision.
The most insupportable of tyrannies is that of inferiors.
We walk faster when we walk alone.
The sentiment of national honor is never more than half extinguished in the French. It takes only a spark to re-kindle it.
Being in the Tuileries is not everything: what matters is to stay here.
I want the whole of Europe to have one currency; it will make trading much easier.
Men will risk their lives, even die for ribbons.
My star was fading, I felt the reins slipping out of my grasp, and could do nothing to stop it.
A great people may be killed, but they cannot be intimidated.
Men grow old quickly on the battlefield.
The laws of circumstance are abolished by new circumstances.
When I had the honor to be a second lieutenant, I ate dry bread, but I never let anyone know that I was poor.
Parties weaken themselves by their fear of capable men.
My mind is a chest of drawers. When I wish to deal with a subject, I shut all the drawers but the one in which the subject is to be found. When I am wearied, I shut all the drawers and go to sleep.
Cossacks are the best light troops among all that exist. If I had them in my army, I would go through all the world with them.