Quotes from Catherine the Great

Power without a nation's confidence is nothing.

I may be kindly, I am ordinarily gentle, but in my line of business I am obliged to will terribly what I will at all.

Self-interest usually brings injustice with it.

The most sure, but at the same time the most difficult expedient to mend the morals of the people, is a perfect system of education.

The use of torture is contrary to sound judgment and common sense. Humanity itself cries out against it, and demands it to be utterly abolished.

A great wind is blowing and that either gives you imagination...or a headache.

I like to praise and reward in a loud voice and to scold in a whisper.

One cannot always know what children are thinking. Children are hard to understand, especially when careful training has accustomed them to obedience, and experience has made them cautious in their conversation with their teachers. Will you not draw from this the fine maxim that one should not scold children too much, but should make them trustful, so that they will not conceal their stupidities from us?

If Russians knew how to read they would write me off.

I praise loudly. I blame softly.

Happiness and unhappiness are in the heart and spirit of each one of us: If you feel unhappy, then place yourself above that and act so that your happiness does not get to be dependent on anything.

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

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

You can be a murderous tyrant and the world will remember you fondly but fuck one horse and you will be a horse fucker for all eternity.

Very early it was noticed that I had a good memory; therefore I was insistently tormented with learning everything by heart.

One cannot always know what children are thinking. Children are hard to understand, especially when careful training has a custom them to obedience and experience has made them cautious in conversation with their teachers.

A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.

The more a man knows the more he forgives.

I praise loudly. I blame softly.

One does not always do the best there is. One does the best one can.

All or nothing. If I commit myself to you, you must commit yourself to me!

Power without a nation's confidence is nothing.