“Music of all the arts has the most influence on the passions and the legislator should give it the greatest encouragement.”
“The people to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know.”
“There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.”
“There is no class of people so hard to manage in a state, as those whose intentions are honest, but whose consciences are bewitched.”
“Medicine is a collection of uncertain prescriptions, the results of which, taken collectively, are more fatal than useful to mankind.”
“The torment of precautions often exceeds often exceeds the dangers to be avoided. It is sometimes better to abandon one's self to destiny.”
“I love power. But it is as an artist that I love it. I love it as a musician loves his violin, to draw out its sounds and chords and harmonies.”
“Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them.”
“Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires; but what foundation did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded an empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.”