Good writers have two things in common: they prefer to be understood rather than admired; and they do not write for knowing and over-acute readers.

Whoever despises himself still esteems the despiser within himself.

Nothing is beautiful, only man: on this piece of naivete rests all aesthetics, it is the first truth of aesthetics. Let us immediately add its second: nothing is ugly but degenerate man - the domain of aesthetic judgment is therewith defined.

The "religion of pity" to which people would like to convert us- oh, we know well enough the hysterical little men and women who need this religion at present as a veil and an adornment!

Whoever despises himself nonetheless respects himself as one who despises.

The small force that it takes to launch a boat into the stream should not be confused with the force of the stream that carries it along: but this confusion appears in nearly all biographies.

Pain makes hens and poets cackle.