The bold defiance of a woman is the certain sign of her shame, - when she has once ceased to blush, it is because she has too much to blush for.
— Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
A diplomat who says "yes" means "maybe", a diplomat who says "maybe" means "no", and a diplomat who says "no" is no diplomat.
— Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord
If you wish to be popular in society consent to be taught many things you already know.
— Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
- We're winning!- Who is 'we', mon Prince?
- Not a word! I will tell you tomorrow. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord
You can do anything you like with bayonets, except sit on them.
— Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord
Speech is the faculty by which men conceal their thoughts.
— Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord
Non-intervention is a metaphysical idea, indistinguishable in practice from intervention.
— Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord
Talleyrand once said to the first Napoleon that the United States is a giant without bones. Since that time our gristle has been rapidly hardening.
— James A. Garfield
Nothing succeeds so well as success. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
There is one person that is wiser than anybody, and that is everybody. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Wherever there's trouble, look for a priest. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Love of glory can only create a great hero; contempt of glory creates a great man. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
The art of statesmanship is to foresee the inevitable and to expedite its occurrence. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
A married man with a family will do anything for money. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Beauty, devoid of grace, is a mere hook without the bait. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
If we go on explaining we shall cease to understand one another. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
The rich man despises those who flatter him too much, and hates those who do not flatter him at all. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
An important art of politicians is to find new names for institutions which under old names have become odious to the public. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
A court is an assembly of noble and distinguished beggars. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Without freedom of the press, there can be no representative government. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
God gave humans language so they could conceal their thoughts from one another. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
I am more afraid of an army of 100 sheep led by a lion than an army of 100 lions led by a sheep. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Those who did not live during the years close to 1789 do not know the pleasure of living. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Regimes may fall and fail, but I do not. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Women sometimes forgive a man who forces the opportunity, but never a man who misses ones. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Politics is the systematic cultivation of hatred. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
A clever woman often compromises her husband; a stupid woman only compromises herself. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Only a man who has loved a woman of genius can appreciate what happiness there is in loving a fool. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
The reputation of a man is like his shadow, gigantic when it precedes him, and pigmy in its proportions when it follows. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
I found there a country with thirty-two religions and only one sauce. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Methods are the masters of masters. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
She is such a good friend that she would throw all her acquaintances into the water for the pleasure of fishing them out again. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Show me another pleasure like dinner which comes every day and lasts an hour. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Merit, however inconsiderable, should be sought for and rewarded. Methods are the master of masters. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
War is much too serious a thing to be left to military men. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
To be agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you already know. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord
What clever man has ever needed to commit a crime? Crime is the last resort of political half-wits. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Never speak ill of yourself, your friends will always say enough on that subject. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
What I have been taught, I have forgotten; what I know, I have guessed. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
They had learned nothing and forgotten nothing. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord
Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
I know where there is more wisdom than is found in Napoleon, Voltaire, or all the ministers present and to come - in public opinion. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Men like M. de Talleyrand are like sharp instruments with which it is dangerous to play. — Klemens Von Metternich
A woman will sometimes forgive the man who tries to seduce her, but never the man who misses an opportunity when offered. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
To succeed in the world, it is much more necessary to possess the penetration to discern who is a fool, than to discover who is a clever man. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Mistrust first impulses; they are nearly always good. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Too much sensibility creates unhappiness and too much insensibility creates crime. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
It is not an event; it is a piece of news. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Love is a reality which is born in the fairy region of romance. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
I don't employ Talleyrand when I want a thing done, but only when I want to have the appearance of wanting to do it. — Napoleon Bonaparte
Ones reputation is like a shadow, it is gigantic when it precedes you, and a pigmy in proportion when it follows. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Espresso is to Italy, what champagne is to France. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
Speech was given to man to disguise his thoughts. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
There are no principles, only events. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand-Perigord
Since the masses are always eager to believe something, for their benefit nothing is so easy to arrange as facts. — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand
It is the beginning of the end.[Fr., C'est le commencement de al fin.] — Charles Maurice De Talleyrand