Quotes by Rafael Sabatini

“To do what you imply would require nothing short of divine intervention. You must change man, not systems.””

“He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad. And that was all his patrimony.””

“But they were fated to misunderstand each other.””

“Regret of neglected opportunity is the worst hell that a living soul caninhabit””

“Do you expect sincerity in man when hypocrisy is the very keynote of human nature? We are nurtured on it; we are schooled in it, we live by it; and we rarely realize it.’– Book 3, Chapter 16””

“He was suffering from the loss of an illusion.””

“Thirstily he set it to his lips, and as its cool refreshment began to soothe his throat, he thanked Heaven that in a world of much evil there was still so good a thing as ale.””

“Only he who is without anything is without enemies.””

“Truth is so often disconcerting.””

“Open the history of the past at whatsoever page you will and there you shall find coincidence at work bringing about events that the merest chance might have averted. Indeed, coincidence may be defined as the tool used by Fate to shape the destinies of men and nations.””

“There remained the sea, which is free to all, and particularly alluring to those who feel themselves at war with humanity.””

“I am afraid, monsieur, you will have to kill me first, and I have a prejudice against being killed before nine o'clock.””

“The idea of equality is a by-product of the sentiment of envy. Since it must always prove beyond human ower to raise the inferior mass to a superior stratum, apostles of equality must ever be inferiors seeking to reduce their betters to their level. It follows that a nation that once admits this doctrine of equality will be dragged by it to the level, moral, intelletual and political, of its most worthless class.””

“It is not human to be wise,’ said Blood. ‘It is much more human to err, though perhaps exceptional to err on the side of mercy.””