Superstition disappears with the successes of civilization.
Theoretical morality, which is discovered only in systems and words, but which does not speak of itself as a deed, which arises only as a result of the contemplation of the mind, but has no deep roots in the heart, - such a morality has the same value as and lack of morals.
Only in the power of the will lies the condition of our success in the chosen field.
Only holy mediocrity enjoys the enviable privilege of not irritating anyone and having no enemies and adversaries.
Only happiness is the measure and test of love.
He who does not stick to his views on humanity is unscrupulous.
Work makes a man noble. The soul, like the body, has its own gymnastics, without which the soul withers and falls into the apathy of lack of action.
For every true talent, every person is a type, and every type is to the reader a familiar stranger.
A belief must be dear to us only because it is true, and not because it is our own.
The mind is the spiritual weapon of man.
A disciple will never surpass his master if he sees in him a model, and not a rival.
It is good to be a scientist, poet, soldier, legislator, etc., but it is bad not to be human.
Man has been and will always be the most curious phenomenon for man.
Man is neither animal nor angel; he must love neither like animals, nor platonically, but humanly.
Man only fears what he does not know, knowledge conquering all fear.
Man expresses himself clearly when he is possessed by a thought, but he does so even more clearly when he himself possesses the thought.
Human knowledge does not consist only of mathematics and technology. On the contrary, they are only an aspect of knowledge, they are for now only lower knowledge; higher knowledge embraces the moral world and contains within its field of reference all that is great and holy to man.
The greater the genius of the poet, the more deeply and vastly will he understand nature, and the more successfully will he present it to us in relation to life.
The stronger a poet's talent, the more original it is.
The younger a child is, the more immediate must be the moral education he receives, the more we must not teach him, but train him with good feelings, with useful inclinations and manners, all based on - mostly out of habit.
Honest people always have the bad habit of looking down in shame at arrogance and cheeky meanness.
Feeling is like fire and thought is like oil.
The sense of humanity is offended when one does not respect each other's human dignity, but it is even more offended and suffers when man does not respect his own dignity.
For a feeling itself to turn into poetry; the feeling must arise from the idea and express it. Irrational feelings are the lot of animals; they humiliate man.
The school of unhappiness is the best school.
Selfishness is resourceful like a chameleon...
Youth is itself the poetry of life, for in youth everyone is better than in any other period of life.
Those young people who grow old past maturity are just as disgusting as those old people who want to look young.
Hell is necessary not so that the wicked receive their punishment, but so that man is not forced into heaven.
An ancient tragedy is a tragedy of fatality, while a Christian tragedy is a tragedy of freedom.