We seldom repent of speaking little, very often of speaking too much: a vulgar and trite maxim, which all the world knows and, but which all the world does not practice

The sweetest of all sounds is that of the voice of the woman we love.

No road is to long for him who advances slowly and does not hurry and no attainment is beyond his reach who equips himself with patience to achieve it

Generosity lies less in giving much than in giving at the right moment.

The spendthrift robs his heirs the miser robs himself.

A vain man finds it wise to speak good or ill of himself; a modest man does not talk of himself.

Courtly manners are contagious; they are caught at Versailles.

We are more sociable, and get on better with people by the heart than the intellect.

A prince wants only the pleasure of private life to complete his happiness.

There is as much trickery required to grow rich by a stupid book as there is folly in buying it.

Out of difficulties grow miracles.

I wondered when I had forgotten that, despite everything, he was still just a child.

I don’t want to talk as much, ’ she said, denting her chin thoughtfully with her forefinger. ‘It’s nicer to think dear, pretty thoughts and keep them in one’s heart, like treasures.

Poetry was one of the things that interested me most as I was growing up. I used to write it in my head all the time. I still think the very greatest pleasure in life is to write a poem.

The ideal in chess can only be a collective image, but in my opinion it is Capablanca who most closely approaches this.

Writing novels preserves you in a state of innocence - a lot passes you by - simply because your attention is otherwise diverted.

It was I who made Fellini famous, not the other way around.

Players have to buy into your system and be willing to accept the role, you, as the coach, have assigned to them

The sea drives truth into a man like salt.

I believe the divine is part of the world, not in a pantheistic way but by way of the movement of the Spirit.

There seem to me a great many blessings which come from true poverty and I should be sorry to be deprived of them.