Charles Maurice de Talleyrand
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgordʁɑ̃ peʁiɡɔʁ]; 1754–1838), prince de Bénévent, then prince de Talleyrand, was a French bishop, politician and diplomat. After theology studies, he became in 1780 Agent-General of the Clergy and represented the Catholic Church to the French Crown. He worked at the highest levels of successive French governments, most commonly as foreign minister or in some other diplomatic capacity. His career spanned the regimes of Louis XVI, the years of the French Revolution, Napoleon, Louis XVIII, and Louis-Philippe...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionDiplomat
Date of Birth2 February 1754
CountryFrance
Those who did not live during the years close to 1789 do not know the pleasure of living.
Those who have not lived in the eighteenth century, in the years before the Revolution do not know the sweetness of living and cannot imagine what it was like to have happiness in life.
Whoever did not live in the years neighboring 1789 does not know what the pleasure of living means. [Fr., Qui n'a pas vecu dans les annees voisines de 1789 ne sait pas ce que c'est le palisir de vivre.]
Ones reputation is like a shadow, it is gigantic when it precedes you, and a pigmy in proportion when it follows.
I am more afraid of an army of 100 sheep led by a lion than an army of 100 lions led by a sheep.
Speech was given to man to disguise his thoughts.
The art of statesmanship is to foresee the inevitable and to expedite its occurrence.
Beauty, devoid of grace, is a mere hook without the bait.
Speech has been given to man to disguise his thoughts.
The rich man despises those who flatter him too much, and hates those who do not flatter him at all.
Love of glory can only create a great hero; contempt of glory creates a great man.
A married man with a family will do anything for money.
It is not an event; it is a piece of news.
I found there a country with thirty-two religions and only one sauce.