Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes - Page 15

• Whenever I hear people talking about liberal ideas, I am always astounded that men should love to fool themselves with empty sounds. An idea should never be liberal; it must be vigorous, positive, and without loose ends so that it may fulfill its divine mission and be productive.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Love, Men, Talking

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• Every day look at a beautiful picture, read a beautiful poem, listen to some beautiful music, and if possible, say some reasonable thing.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Motivational, Beautiful, Looks

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• None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Wisdom, Powerful, Freedom

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1853). “Goethe's Opinions on the World, Mankind, Literature, Science, and Art”, p.3

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• Man can find no better retreat from the world than art, and man can find no stronger link with the world than art.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Art, Hipster, Men

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• Man's highest merit always is, as much as possible, to rule external circumstances and as little as possible to let himself be ruled by them.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Men, Littles, Merit

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1924). “Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and Travels”, p.428, Library of Alexandria

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• The right man is the one who seizes the moment.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Leadership, Courage, Inspiration

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• Nothing is more terrible than to see ignorance in action.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Ignorance, Ignorant, Literature

  Maxims and Reflections I

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• There is nothing in which people more betray their character than in what they laugh at.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Inspirational, Laughter, Character

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (2016). “Elective Affinities”, p.142, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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• The hero draws inspiration from the virtue of his ancestors.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Inspiration, Hero, Virtue

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• Begin by instructing yourself, then you will receive instruction from others.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Happiness, Instruction

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• As long as you are not aware of the continual law of Die and Be Again, you are merely a vague guest on a dark Earth.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Death, Dark, Law

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• Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward; they may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Motivational, Courage, Clever

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• Every man bears something within him that, if it were publicly announced, would excite feelings of aversion.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Men, Feelings, Guilt

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• Of the truly creative no one is ever master; it must be left to go its own way.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Creative, Way, Artistic

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• I think that I am better than the people who are trying to reform me.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Thinking, People, Trying

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• One never goes further than when they do not know where they are going.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Knows

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• Freedom consists not in refusing to recognize anything above us, but in respecting something which is above us; for by respecting it, we raise ourselves to it, and, by our very acknowledgment, prove that we bear within ourselves what is higher, and are worthy to be on a level with it.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Freedom, Levels, Bears

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1935). “Conversations with Goethe”

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• One cannot develop taste from what is of average quality but only from the very best.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Average, Quality, Taste

  "Conversations with Eckermann". Book by Johann Peter Eckermann and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, February 26, 1824.

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• It is a maxim of wise government to treat people not as they should be but as they actually are.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Wise, Government, People

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• Mystery is truth's dancing partner.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Dancing, Mystery, Partners

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• Who is the happiest man? He who is alive to the merit of others, and can rejoice in their enjoyment as if it were his own.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Inspirational, Happiness, Men

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• To be loved for what one is, that is the greatest exception. The great majority love in others only what they lend him; their own selves, their version of him.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Love, Self, Majority

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• Higher aims are in themselves more valuable, even if unfulfilled, than lower ones quite attained.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Aim, Valuable, Higher

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (2013). “Delphi Works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Illustrated)”, p.3579, Delphi Classics

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• It is a misfortune to pass at once from observation to conclusion, and to regard both as of equal value; but it befalls many a student.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Students, Observation, Equal

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (2015). “Maxims and Reflections”, p.173, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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• Tolerance comes of age. I see no fault committed that I myself could not have committed at some time or other.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Time, Tolerance, Age

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