Napoleon Bonaparte

A man cannot become an atheist merely by wishing it.

Fashion condemns us to many follies, the greatest is to make oneself its slave.

For my part, it is not the mystery of the incarnation which I discover in religion, but the mystery of social order, which associates with heaven that idea of equality which prevents the rich from destroying the poor

Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet.

The battle of Austerlitz is the grandest of all I have fought.

To write history one must be more than a man, since the author who holds the pen of this great justiciary must be free from all preoccupation of interest or vanity.

I am the successor, not of Louis XVI, but of Charlemagne.

Forethought we may have, undoubtedly, but not foresight.

One should never forbid what one lacks the power to prevent.

England is a nation of shopkeepers.

I made all my generals out of mud.

Let the path be open to talent.

I have only one counsel for you - be master.

When soldiers have been baptized in the fire of a battle-field, they have all one rank in my eyes.

France has more need of me than I have need of France.

Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them.

I can no longer obey; I have tasted command, and I cannot give it up.

There are only two forces that unite men - fear and interest.

Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.

Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.

Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest to allow anyone to take her away from me.