People will allow their faults to be shown them; they will let themselves be punished for them; they will patiently endure many things because of them; they only become impatient when they have to lay them aside.

People are always talking about originality; but what do they mean? As soon as we are born, the world begins to work upon us; and this goes on to the end. And after all, what can we call our own, except energy, strength, and will? If I could give an account of all that I owe to great predecessors and contemporaries, there would be but a small balance in my favor.

The universal subjugator, the commonplace.

Nothing is worth more than this day. You cannot relive yesterday. Tomorrow is still beyond your reach.

The sea is flowing ever, The land retains it never.

Happy contractedness of youth, nay, of mankind in general, that they think neither of the high nor the deep, of the true nor the false, but only of what is suited to their own conceptions.

Tolerance comes of age. I see no fault committed that I myself could not have committed at some time or other.