Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes - Page 59

• First let a man teach himself, and then he will be taught by others.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Teaching, Men, Firsts

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

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• The history of science is science itself; the history of the individual, the individual.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Science, Historical, Individual

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• Faith is a homely, private capital; as there are public savings-banks and poor funds, out of which in times of want we can relieve the necessities of individuals, so here the faithful take their coin in peace.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Faith, Saving, Coins

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• What sort of faults may we retain, nay, even cherish in ourselves? Those faults which are rather pleasant than offensive to others.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  May, Faults, Offensive

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, John Stuart Blackie (1883). “The Wisdom of Goethe”, Edinburgh, W. Blackwood

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• Wood burns because it has the proper stuff for that purpose in it; and a man becomes renowned because he has the necessary stuff in him. Renown is not to be sought, and all pursuit of it is vain. A person may, indeed, by skillful conduct and various artificial means, make a sort of name for himself; but if the inner jewel is wanting, all is vanity, and will not last a day.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Mean, Men, Vanity

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johann Peter Eckermann, Frédéric Jacob Soret (1850). “Conversations of Goethe with Eckermann and Soret”, p.103

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• He who is resolute conquers grief.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Grief, Conquer, Resolute

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• To a valet no man is a hero.
  [Ger., Es gibt fur den Kammerdiener keiner Helden.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Hero, Men, Fur

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• What reason would grope for in vain, spontaneous impulse ofttimes achieves at a stroke, with light and pleasureful guidance.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Light, Guidance, Spontaneous

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, John Stuart Blackie (1883). “The Wisdom of Goethe”, Edinburgh, W. Blackwood

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• I have observed that as long as one lives and bestirs himself, he can always find food and raiment, though it may not be of the choicest description.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Long, May, Description

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• Whoever would understand the poet
  Must go into the poet's country.
  [Ger., Wer den Dichter will verstehen
  Muss in Dichters Lande gehen.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Country, Poet, Dens

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• As a man is, so is his God; therefore God was so often an object of mockery.
  [Ger., Wie einer ist, so ist sein Gott,
  Darum ward Gott so oft zu Spott.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  God, Men, Mockery

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• Wouldst thou ever roam abroad? See, what is good lies by thy side. Only learn to catch happiness, for happiness is ever by you.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Happiness, Lying, Sides

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• My peace is gone, my heart is heavy.
  [Ger., Meine Ruh ist hin,
  Mein Herz ist schwer.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Heart, Gone, My Heart

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• Only the heart without a stain knows perfect ease.
  [Ger., Ganz unbefleckt geniesst sich nur das Herz.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Heart, Perfect, Ease

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• A wounded heart can with difficulty be cured.
  [Ger., Doch ein gekranktes Herz erholt sich schwer.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Heart, Difficulty, Wounded Heart

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• All rights and laws are still transmitted,
  Like an eternal sickness to the race.
  [Ger., Es erben sich Gesetz and Rechte
  Wie eine ew'ge Krankheit fort.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Rights, Race, Law

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• Errors belong to libraries; truth, to the human mind.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Errors, Mind, Library

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johann Peter Eckermann, Frédéric Jacob Soret (1850). “Conversations of Goethe with Eckermann and Soret”, p.311

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• Literature is a fragment of a fragment. Of all that ever happened, or has been said, but a fraction has been written; and of this but little is extant.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Literature, Littles, Fragments

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• When I err every one can see it, but not when I lie.
  [Ger., Wenn ich irre kann es jeder bemerken; wenn ich luge, nicht.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Lying

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• Beloved brother, let us not forget that man can never get away from himself.
  [Ger., Lass uns, geliebter Bruder, nicht vergessen,
  Dass von sich selbst der Mensch nicht scheiden kann.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Brother, Men, Beloved

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• A well-bred carriage is difficult to imitate; for in strictness it is negative, and it implies a long-continued previous training.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Long, Training, Negative

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Thomas Carlyle (1842). “Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and Travels: From the German of Goethe”, p.84

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• For a brave man deserves a well-endowed girl.
  [Ger., Denn ein wackerer Mann verdient ein begutertes Madchen.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Girl, Men, Brave

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• To blow is not to play on the flute; you must move the fingers.
  [Ger., Blasen ist nicht floten, ihr musst die Finger bewegen.]

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Music, Moving, Blow

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• This world could not exist if it were not so simple. The ground has been tilled a thousand years, yet its powers remain ever the same; a little rain, a little sun, and each spring it grows green again.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Nature, Spring, Rain

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1839). “Conversations with Goethe in the Last Years of His Life”, p.209

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• You can put up with everything in this world except not with a long stretch of beautiful days.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Beautiful, Weather, Long

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