Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think read more

All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly, till they take root in our personal experience.

I wish the crowd to feel itself well treated,
Especially since it lives and lets me live.
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I wish the crowd to feel itself well treated,
Especially since it lives and lets me live.
[Ger., Ich wunschte sehr, der Menge zu behagen,
Besonders weil sie lebt und leben lasst.]

The intelligent man finds almost everything ridiculous, the sensible man almost nothing.

The intelligent man finds almost everything ridiculous, the sensible man almost nothing.

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

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

The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain.
[Ger., Den Bosen sind sie los, die Bosen sind geblieben.]

The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain.
[Ger., Den Bosen sind sie los, die Bosen sind geblieben.]