The Story of My Life (The Complete Memoirs of Giacomo Casanova)
The chief business of my life has always been to indulge my senses; I never knew anything of greater importance. I felt myself born for the fair sex, I have ever loved it dearly, and I have been loved by it as often and as much as I could. I have likewise always had a great weakness for good living, and I ever felt passionately fond of every object
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Our ignorance becomes our only resource, and happy, truly happy; are those who cherish their ignorance!
Giacomo Casanova • The Story of My Life (The Complete Memoirs of Giacomo Casanova)
I have been throughout my life the victim of my senses; I have found delight in losing the right path, I have constantly lived in the midst of error, with no consolation but the consciousness of my being mistaken.
Giacomo Casanova • The Story of My Life (The Complete Memoirs of Giacomo Casanova)
I never had any fixed aim before my eyes, and that my system, if it can be called a system, has been to glide away unconcernedly on the stream of life, trusting to the wind wherever it led. How many changes arise from such an independent mode of life! My success and my misfortunes, the bright and the dark days I have gone through, everything has pr
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As for myself I always willingly acknowledge my own self as the principal cause of every good or of every evil which may befall me; therefore I have always found myself capable of being my own pupil, and ready to love my teacher.
Giacomo Casanova • The Story of My Life (The Complete Memoirs of Giacomo Casanova)
I am aware that throughout my life my actions have received their impulse more from the force of feeling than from the wisdom of reason, and this has led me to acknowledge that my conduct has been dependent upon my nature more than upon my mind; both are generally at war, and in the midst of their continual collisions I have never found in me suffi
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you will find in my Memoirs only the characteristic proper to a general confession, and that my narratory style will be the manner neither of a repenting sinner, nor of a man ashamed to acknowledge his frolics.
Giacomo Casanova • The Story of My Life (The Complete Memoirs of Giacomo Casanova)
I am aware it is sheer folly, but I want to be busy, I want to laugh, and why should I deny myself this gratification?
Giacomo Casanova • The Story of My Life (The Complete Memoirs of Giacomo Casanova)
I will begin with this confession: whatever I have done in the course of my life, whether it be good or evil, has been done freely; I am a free agent.