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
memories years eight
The history of my life must begin by the earliest circumstance which my memory can evoke it will therefore commence when I had attained the age of eight years and four months.
memories order mind
The mind of a human being is formed only of comparisons made in order to examine analogies, and therefore cannot precede the existence of memory.
memories heart men
The man who forgets does not forgive, he only loses the remembrance; forgiveness is the offspring of a noble heart, of a generous mind, whilst forgetfulness is only the result of a weak memory, or of an easy carelessness.
appearance believe favour granted pray praying seems therefore
Therefore must we pray to God, and believe that He has granted the favour we have been praying for, even when in appearance it seems the reverse.
men blessing life-is
[H]appy or miserable, life is the only blessing which man possesses[.
men cease
Man is free, but his freedom ceases when he has no faith in it[.
appreciate purpose stories
I have always had such sincere love for truth, that I have often begun by telling stories for the purpose of getting truth to enter the heads of those who could not appreciate its charms.
victory fool trouble
[W]e avenge intelligence when we deceive a fool, and the victory is worth the trouble[.
sports squash youth
They are the follies inherent to youth; I make sport of them, and, if you are kind, you will not yourself refuse them a good-natured smile.
beautiful artist drawing
I saw that everything famous and beautiful in the world, if we judge by the descriptions and drawings of writers and artists, always loses when we go to see it and examine it closely.
art fall men
My errors will point to thinking men the various roads, and will teach them the great art of treading on the brink of the precipice without falling into it.
victory fool dupes
We avenge intellect when we dupe a fool, and it is a victory not to be despised for a fool is covered with steel and it is often very hard to find his vulnerable part.
christian believe hands
For my future I have no concern, and as a true philosopher, I never would have any, for I know not what it may be: as a Christian, on the other hand, faith must believe without discussion, and the stronger it is, the more it keeps silent.
brilliant constitution excellent
I always made my food congenial to my constitution, and my health was always excellent.