"You philosophers are lucky men. You write on paper and paper is patient. Unfortunate Empress that I am, I write on the susceptible skins of living beings"

Catherine the Great was an Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. In this quote, she is revealing her envy of thinkers who can write on paper. She acknowledges that paper is patient and will not react to what is written on it, unlike the "prone skins of living beings" which she is required to write on. This could be analyzed as a metaphor for the people she rules over, who are subject to her decisions and can be affected by them. She is expressing her awareness of the power she holds and the duty that features it. She is likewise revealing her envy of philosophers who can write without repercussion, as she is not able to do so. This quote shows Catherine the Great's understanding of her position and the power she holds, along with her envy of those who can compose without consequence.