Philosophical Quotations | Page 5

The poet presents the imagination with images from life and human characters and situations, sets them all in motion and leaves itto the beholder to let these images take his thoughts as far as his mental powers will permit. This is why he is able to engage men of the most differing capabilities, indeed fools and sages together. The philosopher, on the other hand, presents not life itself but the finished thoughts which he has abstracted from it and then demands that the reader should think precisely as, and precisely as far as, he himself thinks. That is why his public is so small.

Two Chinamen visiting Europe went to the theatre for the first time. One of them occupied himself with trying to understand the theatrical machinery, which he succeeded in doing. The other, despite his ignorance of the language, sought to unravel the meaning of the play. The former is like the astronomer, the latter the philosopher.

The word of man is the most durable of all material.

There is no doubt that life is given us, not to be enjoyed, but to be overcome; to be got over.

It is only at the first encounter that a face makes its full impression on us.

To free a person from error is to give, and not to take away.

Obstinacy is the result of the will forcing itself into the place of the intellect.

The longer a man's fame is likely to last, the longer it will be in coming.

Will minus intellect constitutes vulgarity.

It's the niceties that make the difference fate gives us the hand, and we play the cards.