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.
— Catherine the Great
All this is only for the mice and myself to admire!
In my position you have to read when you want to write and to talk when you would like to read.
I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.
Men make love more intensely at 20, but make love better, however, at 30.
I shall be an autocrat: that's my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that's his.
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.
If Russians knew how to read, they would write me off.
Your wit makes others witty.
I am one of the people who love the why of things.
In politics a capable ruler must be guided by circumstances, conjectures and conjunctions.
I praise loudly. I blame softly.
A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.
Power without a nation's confidence is nothing.
I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster.
The more a man knows, the more he forgives.
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.
