I hate all explanations; they who make them deceive either themselves or the other party,-generally both.

What am I then...? Everything that I have seen, heard, and observed I have collected and exploited. My works have been nourished by countless different individuals, by innocent and wise ones, people of intelligence and dunces. Childhood, maturity and old age all have brought me their thoughts....their perspectives on life. I have often reaped what others have sowed. My work is the work of a collective being that bears the name Goethe.

We can most safely achieve truly universal tolerance when we respect that which is characteristic in the individual and in nations, clinging, though, to the conviction that the truly meritorious is unique by belonging to all of mankind.

One of the most striking signs of the decay of art is the intermixing of different genres.

Energy will do anything that can be done in this world.

He who has a task to perform must know how to take sides, or he is quite unworthy of it.

Deeply earnest and thoughtful people stand on shaky footing with the public.