Catherine the Great

God, grant us our desires, and grant them quickly.

I have no way to defend my borders but to extend them.

Your wit makes others witty.

I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster.

Tell a thousand people to draft a letter, let them debate every phrase, and see how long it takes and what you get.

I am one of the people who love the why of things.

Creativity is a renewable resource. Be as creative as you like, as often as you like, because you can never run out!

We each own one car, and we have a reasonable house. It’s a lovely place to be, but it’s not extravagant.

What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.

I hope that while so many people are out smelling the flowers, someone is taking the time to plant some.

My view is, first you get them to laugh, then you get them to listen. So I’m always game for a good joke, and I’m not so formal in this role. There’s very little that we can’t do that people wouldn’t appreciate.

Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right.

If I may venture to be frank I would say about myself that I was every inch a gentleman …

Better contraceptives will control population only if people will use them. A nuclear holocaust can be prevented only if the conditions under which nations make war can be changed. The environment will continue to deteriorate until pollution practices are abandoned. We need to make vast changes in human behavior.

I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it.

Public opinion is held in reverence. It settles everything. Some think it is the voice of God.

I lie and tell you I had a dream about you last night, so it makes it more socially acceptable to reach out to someone I haven’t spoken to in years.

I no longer feel the need of seeking out conscious Americanism. Because we live here and work here, we can be certain that when our music is mature it will also be American in quality.

Am I ever gonna grow a thick skin? No.

Most of the sickness in the world is caused by eating too much.

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.