Francesco Guicciardini Quotes

Since there is nothing so well worth having as friends, never lose a chance to make them.

Waste no time with revolutions that do not remove the causes of your complaints but simply change the faces of those in charge.

The return we reap from generous actions is not always evident.

Affairs that depend on many rarely succeed.

One who imitates what is bad always goes beyond his model; while one who imitates what is good always comes up short of it.

Ambassadors are the eye and ear of states.

As it is our nature to be more moved by hope than fear, the example of one we see abundantly rewarded cheers and encourages us far more than the sight of many who have not been well treated disquiets us.

He who imitates what is evil always goes beyond the example that is set; on the contrary, he who imitates what is good always falls short.