Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais Quotes

• “Nowadays what isn't worth saying is sung.
  
  (Aujourd'hui ce qui ne vaut pas la peine d'être dit, on le chante.)”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “I quickly laugh at everything for fear of having to cry.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “where love is concerned, too much is never enough”

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• “It's your world, but I make my way in it. At fifteen, no, I couldn't stand up to you. The age of illusions, when we know nothing, we hope for everything; we're wandering in a mist ... And the half of the world that's never had any use for us, suddenly is besieging us. You need us, you adore us, you're suffering for us. You want everything--except to know what we think. You look deep in our eyes--and put your hand up our dress. You call us, "Pretty thing." That confuses us. The most beautiful woman, the highest ranked, lives half dazzled by constant attention, half stifled by obvious contempt. We think all we're good for is pleasing you--till one day, long acquaintance with you dispels the last mist. In a clear light, we suddenly see you as you are--and generally we start preferring ourselves. At thirty, I could finally say no--or really say yes. That's when you begin backing away from us. Now I'm full-grown. I pursue my happiness the same as any man.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “Without the freedom to criticize, there is no true praise.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “I grant men the land, the government, the wealth, all the chances. I accept that you have to hold all the cards, since that's the only way you know how to play; but I refuse to swallow your disrespect.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “La difficulté de réussir ne fait qu’ajouter à la nécessité d’entreprendre.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “Drinking when we are not thirsty and making love at all seasons, madam: that is all there is to distinguish us from other animals.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “Only one thing to it: a strong stomach. The guts to gladhand a man you're going to stab in the back; pledge allegiance to principles you stomp on every day; righteously denounce some despot in the press and sell him arms under the table. The talent to whip up the voters' worst passions while you seem to call on their highest instincts, and the sense to stay wrapped in the flag. That's politics: I'll take the simple life.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “Je me presse de rire de tout, de peur d’être obligé d’en pleurer.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “A great man is doing you enough good when he isn't doing you harm.”

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• “Клвевтете, клеветете, от клеветата винаги остава нещо.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “Everything belonging to a loved one is precious.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “FIGARO. The way I see it, sir, a man can only choose between being stupid or mad.”

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• “FIGARO. I’d say that the nonsense that finds its way into print only matters to the people who would like to ban it; that without the freedom to criticize, praise is meaningless”

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• “COUNT. The fact is, when you start losing your temper, even the most tightly controlled imagination will run wild, just as it does in dreams.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “Sait-on gré du superflu à qui nous prive du nécessaire?”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “Când te naști, alege soarta
  De ești rege sau argat.
  Iscusința minții drege
  Ce-ntâmplarea a stricat.”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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• “Il ne faut pas me dire deux fois les choses ; il ne faut pas me les dire deux fois.”

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• “myself.—On this my second birth, I found all Madrid in Raptures, concerning a most generous Royal Edict, lately published, in favor of the Liberty of the Press: and I soon learnt, that, provided I neither spoke of the Wealth of Nations in my writings, nor of the Government, nor of Religion, nor of any Corporate-Companies, nor offended the favorite Mistress of the Minister’s favorite Footman, nor said any one thing which could be twisted into a reference, or hint, derogatory to any one Individual, who had more powerful friends than I had, I was at liberty to write, freely, all, and whatever I pleased, under the inspection of some two or three Censors!—Soon”

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• “OLD YOUTHFUL [sneezing]. But sir, it’s not fair. Where’s the justice…
  BARTHOLO. Justice! Ignorant clods like you can go on and on about justice. But I’m your master and that means I’m always right!
  OLD YOUTHFUL [sneezing]. But if a thing is true…
  BARTHOLO. If something’s true! If I don’t want a thing to be true, it isn’t true by my say-so. If you let any Tom, Dick, or Harry be right, you’d soon see what’s to become of authority and discipline!”

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• “No, my lord Count, you shan't have her... you shall not have her! Just because you are a great nobleman, you think you are a great genius—Nobility, fortune, rank, position! How proud they make a man feel! What have you done to deserve such advantages? Put yourself to the trouble of being born—nothing more. For the rest—a very ordinary man! Whereas I, lost among the obscure crowd, have had to deploy more knowledge, more calculation and skill merely to survive than has sufficed to rule all the provinces of Spain for a century!”

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• “easy—He must be a Fool indeed who could find his vanity flattered by his skill in Politics—To appear always deeply concerned for the good of the State, yet to have no other end but Self-interest; to assemble and say Nothing; to pretend vast Secrecy where there is nothing to conceal; to shut yourself up in your Chamber, and mend your Pen or pick your Teeth, while your Footmen inform the attending Croud you are too busy to be approach’d—this, with the art of intercepting Letters, imitating Hands, pensioning Traitors, and rewarding Flatterers, is the whole mystery of Politics, or I am an Idiot.”

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• “BÉGEARSS [very conceited]. My dear, there’s nothing to it. To start with, there are just two things that make the world go round: morality and politics. Morality, a very footling thing, means being fair and honest. It is, so they say, the basis of a number of rather boring virtues.[...] Politics is the art of making things happen, of leading people and events by the nose: it’s child’s play. Its purpose is self-interest, its method intrigue. Always economical with the truth, it has boundless, dazzling possibilities which stand like a beacon and draw you on. As deep as Etna, it smoulders and rumbles for a long time before finally erupting into the light of day. By then nothing can stop it. It calls for superior talents and is threatened by only one thing: honest principles. [He laughs] That’s the key to all the deals that are ever made!”

  Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

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