What now on the other hand makes people sociable is their incapacity to endure solitude and thus themselves.

The vanity of existence is revealed in the whole form existence assumes: in the infiniteness of time and space contrasted with the finiteness of the individual in both; in the fleeting present as the sole form in which actuality exists; in the contingency and relativity of all things; in continual becoming without being; in continual desire without satisfaction; in the continual frustration of striving of which life consists. . . Time is that by virtue of which everything becomes nothingness in our hands and loses all real value.

As a general rule, the longer a man's fame is likely to last, the later it will be in coming; for all excellent products require time for their development.

The general history of art and literature shows that the highest achievements of the human mind are, as a rule, not favourably received at first.

Treat a work of art like a prince. Let it speak to you first.

The alchemists in their search for gold discovered many other things of greater value.

If God made the world, I would not be that God, for the misery of the world would break my heart.