Behind a remarkable scholar we not infrequently find an average human being, and behind an average artist we often find a very remarkable human being.

Women are considered deep - why? Because one can never discover any bottom to them. Women are not even shallow.

A reader is doubly guilty of bad manners against an author when he praises his second book at the expense of his first (or vice versa) and then expects the author to be grateful for what he has done.

I desire that your conjectures should not reach beyond your creative will. Could you create a god? Then do not speak to me of any gods.

Spirit is the life that itself cuts into life: with its own torment it increases its own knowledge. Did you already know that?

One should steal only where one cannot rob.

For one thing is needful: that a human being should attain satisfaction with himself, whether it be by means of this or that poetry or art; only then is a human being at all tolerable to behold. Whoever is dissatisfied with himself is constantly ready for revenge, and we others will be his victims, if only by having to endure his ugly sight.