Margaret of Valois
It is the same in love as in war; a fortress that parleys is half taken.Collection: War
The more hidden the venom, the more dangerous it is.
No one perfectly loves God who does not perfectly love some of his creatures.
A woman of honor should never suspect another of things she would not do herself.
The woman who does not choose to love should cut the matter short at once, by holding out no hopes to her suitor.
There are women so hard to please that it would seem as if nothing less than an angel would suit them; and hence it comes that they often encounter devils.Collection: Angel
Temptations, like misfortunes, are sent to test our moral strength.Collection: Temptation
The cup of joy is heaviest when empty.Collection: Joy
There is no greater fool than the man who thinks himself wise; no one is wiser than he who suspects he is a fool.Collection: Wise
Prudence advises us to use our enemies as if one day they might be friends.Collection: Enemy
Love works in miracles every day: such as weakening the strong, and stretching the weak; making fools of the wise, and wise men of fools; favouring the passions, destroying reason, and in a word, turning everything topsy-turvy.Collection: Love
Delicacy is the genuine tint of virtue.Collection: Delicacy
distrust ... is the beginning of hatred.Collection: Hatred
There is in us more of the appearance of sense and virtue than of the reality.Collection: Reality
God has put into the heart of man love and the boldness to sue, and into the heart of woman fear and the courage to refuse.Collection: Heart
We shall all be perfectly virtuous when there is no longer any flesh on our bones.Collection: Flesh
Extreme concupiscence may be found under extreme austerity.Collection: Hypocrisy
Science conducts us, step by step, through the whole range of creation, until we arrive, at length, at God.Collection: God
Joy takes away from us the thoughts of our actions; sorrow it is that awakens the soul.Collection: Joy
Servitude is inherent; we are all slaves to duty or to force.Collection: Slave
It is only the educated who can produce or appreciate high art.Collection: Art
Women suffer more from disappointment than men, because they have more of faith and are naturally more credulous.Collection: Disappointment
There are few husbands whom the wife cannot win in the long run, by patience and love.Collection: Running
envy and hatred fascinate the eyes and never make them see things as they are.Collection: Hate
We are always more disposed to laugh at nonsense than at genuine wit; because the nonsense is more agreeable to us, being more comfortable to our natures.Collection: Laughing
Adversity is solitary, while prosperity dwells in a crowdCollection: Success
Have a care lest the wrinkles in the face extend to the heart.Collection: Heart
I should rejoice if my pleasures were as pleasing to God as they are to myself.Collection: Pleasure
Gold adulterates one thing only,--the human heart.Collection: Heart
Bashfulness is not becoming to maidenhood, though modesty always is.Collection: Becoming
Excitement is the drunkenness of the spirits. Only calm waters reflect heaven in their bosom.Collection: Water
Mistrust is the sure forerunner of hatred.Collection: Hatred