I praise loudly. I blame softly.

A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.

I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster.

You philosophers are lucky men. You write on paper and paper is patient. Unfortunate Empress that I am, I write on the susceptible skins of living beings.

I may be kindly, I am ordinarily gentle, but in my line of business I am obliged to will terribly what I will at all.

Power without a nation's confidence is nothing.

The more a man knows, the more he forgives.

All this is only for the mice and myself to admire!

I am one of the people who love the why of things.

I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.

I shall be an autocrat: that's my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that's his.

If Russians knew how to read, they would write me off.

In my position you have to read when you want to write and to talk when you would like to read.

In politics a capable ruler must be guided by circumstances, conjectures and conjunctions.

Men make love more intensely at 20, but make love better, however, at 30.

Your wit makes others witty.

For to tempt and to be tempted are things very nearly allied - whenever feeling has anything to do in the matter, no sooner is it excited than we have already gone vastly farther than we are aware of.

An educated people can be easily governed.

A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in.

It seems to me that man is made to act rather than to know: the principles of things escape our most persevering researches.