Experience is a good school. But the fees are high.

God has given us speech in order that we may say pleasant things to our friends, and tell bitter truths to our enemies.

There is one thing on earth more terrible than English music, and that is English painting.

Nothing is sillier than this charge of plagiarism. There is no sixth commandment in art. The poet dare help himself wherever he lists, wherever he finds material suited to his work. He may even appropriate entire columns with their carved capitals, if the temple he thus supports be a beautiful one. Goethe understood this very well, and so did Shakespeare before him.

Oh, they loved dearly: their souls kissed, they kissed with their eyes, they were both but one single kiss.

The Portuguese, Dutch and English have been for a long time year after year, shipping home the treasures of India in their big vessels. We Germans have been all along been left to watch it. Germany would do likewise, but hers would be treasures of spiritual knowledge.

Where words cease, there music begins.