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
knaves fool deceived
You will be amused when you see that I have more than once deceived without the slightest qualm of conscience, both knaves and fools.
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.
love-is feelings may
Love is only a feeling of curiousity more or less intense, grafted upon the inclination placed in us by nature that the species may be preserved.
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.
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.
hate nursing hatred
Hatred, in the course of time, kills the unhappy wretch who delights in nursing it in his bosom.
taken lamps great-business
I found that the writer who says SUBLATA LUCERNA NULLUM DISCRIMEN INTER MULIERES ('when the lamp is taken away, all women are alike') says true; but without love, this great business is a vile thing.
christian war philosopher
I have lived as a philosopher and die as a Christian.
fire erotic sensual
The raging fire which urged us on was scorching us; it would have burned us had we failed to restrain it.
pleasure economy spoil
economy spoils pleasure
liberty madness
I have loved women even to madness, but I have always loved liberty better.
order principles minors
God, great principle of all minor principles, God, who is Himself without a principle, could not conceive Himself, if, in order to do it, He required to know His own principle.
sublime should mediocre
When a sonnet is mediocre it is bad, for it should be sublime.
wise government cities
The spirit of rebellion is present in every great city, and the great task of wise government is to keep it dormant, for if it wakes it is a torrent which no dam can hold back.