Giacomo Casanova
Giacomo Casanova
Giacomo Girolamo Casanovawas an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, Histoire de ma vie, is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century...
NationalityItalian
ProfessionMemoirist
Date of Birth2 April 1725
CountryItaly
sublime should mediocre
When a sonnet is mediocre it is bad, for it should be sublime.
stupidity fool honest
I have met with some of them - very honest fellows, who, with all their stupidity, had a kind of intelligence and an upright good sense, which cannot be the characteristics of fools.
wise men waiting
The man who has sufficient power over himself to wait until his nature has recovered its even balance is the truly wise man, but such beings are seldom met with.
heart character personality
Heart and head are the constituent parts of character; temperament has almost nothing to do with it, and, therefore, character is dependent upon education, and is susceptible of being corrected and improved.
add excess may
I am bound to add that the excess in too little has ever proved in me more dangerous than the excess in too much; the last may cause indigestion, but the first causes death.
stories believable
The story she had told me was possible, but it was not believable.
thanksgiving thank-god ruins
I have often met with happiness after some imprudent step which ought to have brought ruin upon me, and although passing a vote of censure upon myself I would thank God for his mercy.
sweet pain desire
Desires are but pain and torment, and enjoyment is sweet because it delivers us from them.
sadness blow giving
From that moment our love became sad, and sadness is a disease which gives the death-blow to affection.
writing laughing succeed
I am writing My Life to laugh at myself, and I am succeeding.
being-alone giving feelings
I know that I have lived because I have felt, and, feeling giving me the knowledge of my existence.
passion men liberty
Man is free; yet we must not suppose that he is at liberty to do everything he pleases, for he becomes a slave the moment he allows his actions to be ruled by passion.
men order firsts
The man who seeks to educate himself must first read and then travel in order to correct what he has learned.
fall good-luck passion
To lead a blameless life you must curb your passions , and whatever misfortune may befall you cannot be ascribed by anyone to want of good luck, or attributed to fate; these words are devoid of sense, and all fault will rightly fall on your own head.