The decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation.

When translating one must proceed up to the intranslatable; only then one becomes aware of the foreign nation and the foreign tongue.

Whether one show one's self a man of genius in science or compose a song, the only point is, whether the thought, the discovery, the deed, is living and can live on.

How many kings are governed by their ministers, how many ministers by their secretaries? Who, in such cases, is really the chief?

If you inquire what people are like here, I must answer, "The same as everywhere."

Happiness is a ball after which we run wherever it rolls, and we push it with our feet when it stops.

Nobody, they say, is a hero to his valet. Of course; for a man must be a hero to understand a hero. The valet, I dare say, has great respect for some person of his own stamp.