We are pantheists when we study nature, polytheists when we write poetry, monotheists in our morality.

Here too it’s masquerade, I find: As everywhere, the dance of mind. I grasped a lovely masked procession, And caught things from a horror show… I’d gladly settle for a false impression, If it would last a little longer, though.

All men would be masters of others, and no man is lord of himself.

Whoever strikes at marriage either by word or act undermines the foundation of all moral society.

Look at a man the way he is and he only becomes worse, but look at him as if he were what he could be, then he becomes what he should be.

The world is for thousands a freak show; the images flicker past and vanish; the impressions remain flat and unconnected in the soul. Thus they are easily led by the opinions of others, are content to let their impressions be shuffled and rearranged and evaluated differently.

I hate every violent overthrow, because as much is destroyed as is gained by it.