Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes
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Truth is a torch but a tremendous one. That is why we hurry past it, shielding our eyes, indeed, in fear of getting burned.
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Reason can never be popular. Passions and feelings may become popular, but reason will always remain the sole property of a few eminent individuals.
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Be generous with kindly words, especially about those who are absent.
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The worst is that the very hardest thinking will not bring thoughts. They must come like good children of God and cry, "Here we are." You expend effort and energy thinking hard. Then, after you have given up, they come sauntering in with their hands in their pockets. If the effort had not been made to open the door, however, who knows when they could have come.
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Few men have imagination enough for reality.
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Without my attempts in natural science, I should never have learned to know mankind such as it is. In nothing else can we so closely approach pure contemplation and thought, so closely observe the errors of the senses and of the understanding, the weak and strong points of character.
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Thus one can observe that those who proclaim piety as their goal and purpose usually turn into hypocrites.
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One should not wish anyone disagreeable conditions of life; but for him who is involved in them by chance, they are touchstones of characters and of the most decisive value to man.
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A person hears only what they understand.
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The man of understanding finds everything laughable.
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I respect the man who knows distinctly what he wants.
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Nine requisites for contented living: Health enough to make work a pleasure. Wealth enough to support your needs. Strength to battle with difficulties and overcome them. Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them. Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished. Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor. Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others. Faith enough to make real the things of God. Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.
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Duration in change.
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The mortal race is far too weak not to grow dizzy on unwonted brights.
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If you want to make life easy, make it hard.
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Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time.
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What is the true test of character unless it be its progressive development in the bustle and turmoil, in the action and reaction of daily life.
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To be sure, a good work of art can and will have moral consequences, but to demand of the artists moral intentions, means ruiningtheir craft.
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They teach in academies far too many things, and far too much that is useless.
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Art is based on a strong sentiment of religion,--on a profound and mighty earnestness; hence it is so prone to co-operate with religion.
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My counsel is, to force nothing, and rather to trifle and sleep away all unproductive days and hours, than on such days to compose something that will afterwards give no pleasure.
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Limitation of aims is the mother of wisdom and the secret of achievement.
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It would not be worth your while to reach the age of seventy if all the wisdom of the world were to be foolishness before God.
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Our virtues and view spring from one root.