All the terrors of the French Republic, which held Austria in awe, were unable to command her diplomacy. But Napoleon sent to Vien...na M. de Narbonne, one of the old noblesse, with the morals, manners, and name of that interest, saying, that it was indispensable to send to the old aristocracy of Europe men of the same connection, which, in fact, constitutes a sort of free- masonry. M. de Narbonne, in less than a fortnight, penetrated all the secrets of the imperial cabinet.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Brutes are deprived of the high advantages which we have; but they have some which we have not. They have not our hopes, but they ...are without our fears; they are subject like us to death, but without knowing it; even most of them are more attentive than we to self-preservation, and do not make so bad a use of their passions.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
It is clear that in a monarchy, where he who commands the exceution of the laws generally thinks himself above them, there is less... need of virtue than in a popular government, where the person entrusted with the execution of the laws is sensible of his being subject to their direction.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Vanity is as advantageous to a government as pride is dangerous. To be convinced of this we need only represent, on the one hand, ...the numberless benefits which result from vanity, as industry, the arts, fashions, politeness, and taste; and on the other, the infinite evils which spring from the pride of certain nations, a laziness, poverty, a total neglect of everything.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
We must have constantly present in our minds the difference between independence and liberty. Liberty is a right of doing whatever... the laws permit, and if a citizen could do what they forbid he would no longer be possessed of liberty.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
... no other railroad station in the world manages so mysteriously to cloak with compassion the anguish of departure and the dubio...us ecstasies of return and arrival. Any waiting room in the world is filled with all this, and I have sat in many of them and accepted it, and I know from deliberate acquaintance that the whole human experience is more bearable at the Gare de Lyon in Paris than anywhere else.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I just want to tell you all how happy I am to be back in the studio, making a picture again! You don't know much I've missed all o...f you.... You see, this is my life. It always will be! There's nothing else. Just us, and the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark. All right, Mr. de Mille. I'm ready for my closeup.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »