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NAPOLEON I
(1769-1821), Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France
America is a fortunate country; she grows by the follies of our European nations.
A well composed song or ballad strikes the mind, and softens the feelings, and produces a greater effect than a moral work, which convinces our reason but does not warm our feelings or effect the slightest alteration of our habits.
What a delightful thing rest is!—The bed has become a place of luxury to me.—I would not exchange it for all the thrones in the world.
The Gospel is not merely a book—it is a living power—a book surpassing all others.—I never omit to read it, and every day with the same pleasure. Nowhere is to be found such a series of beautiful ideas, and admirable moral maxims, which pass before us like the battalions of a celestial army . . . The soul can never go astray with this book for its guide.
There are calumnies against which even innocence loses courage.
The future destiny of the child is always the work of the mother.
The nature of Christ's existence is mysterious, I admit; but this mystery meets the wants of man.—Reject it and the world is an inexplicable riddle; believe it, and the history of our race is satisfactorily explained.
Circumstances!—I make circumstances!
There is no class of men so difficult to be managed in a state as those whose intentions are honest, but whose consciences are bewitched.
My dominion ends where that of conscience begins.
The contagion of crime is like that of the plague.—Criminals collected together corrupt each other.—They are worse than ever when, at the termination of their punishment, they return to society.
Use dispatch.—Remember that the world only took six days for its creation,—Ask me for whatever you please except time; that is the only thing which is beyond my power.
Public instruction should be the first object of government.
The truest wisdom, in general, is a resolute determination.
All the scholastic scaffolding falls, as a ruined edifice, before one single word—faith.
He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.
When firmness is sufficient, rashness is unnecessary.
I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.—Neither history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare or explain it.—There is nothing there which is not beyond the march of events and above the human mind.—What happiness it gives to those who believe it! What marvels there which those admire who reflect upon it!
When the heart speaks, glory itself is an illusion.
What is history but a fable agreed upon?
Imagination rules the world.
"Impossible!" That is not good French.
Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools.
I fear three newspapers more than a hundred thousand bayonets.
Men, in general, are but great children.
It is the cause and not merely the death that makes the martyr.
Doctor, no medicine.—We are machines made to live—organized expressly for that purpose.—Such is our nature.—Do not counteract the living principle.—Leave it at liberty to defend itself, and it will do better than your drugs.
When I was happy I thought I knew men, but it was fated that I should know them only in misfortune.
The greatest ornament of an illustrious life is modesty and humility, which go a great way in the character even of the most exalted princes.
The future destiny of the child is always the work of the mother.
Let France have good mothers, and she will have good sons.
Music, of all the liberal arts, has the greatest influence over the passions, and is that to which the legislator ought to give the greatest encouragement.
A journalist is a grumbler, a censurer, a giver of advice, a regent of sovereigns, a tutor of nations. Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.
Occupation is the scythe of time.
There are only two powers in the world, the sword and the pen; and in the end the former, is always conquered by the latter.
Victory belongs to the most persevering.
Even in war moral power is to physical as three parts out of four.
Revolutions are like the most noxious dung-heaps, which bring into life the noblest vegetables.
From the sublime to the ridiculous there is but one step.
Suicide is a crime the most revolting to the feelings; nor does any reason suggest itself to our understanding by which it can be justified. It certainly originates in that species of fear which we denominate poltroonery. For what claim can that man have to courage who trembles at the frowns of fortunes? True heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life in whatever shape they may challenge him to combat.
Tragedy warms the soul, elevates the heart, and can and ought to create heroes. In this sense, perhaps, France owes a part of her great actions to Corneille.
Men are led by trifles.
You think you are too intelligent to believe in God.—I am not like you.—Not every one who wishes to be is an atheist.
Vengeance has no foresight.
War is the business of barbarians.
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