Our friends show us what we can do; our enemies teach us what we must do.
Johann Wolfgang von GoetheTo be sure, we have inherited abilities, but our development we owe to thousands of influences coming from the world around us from which we appropriate what we can and what is suitable to us.
Johann Wolfgang von GoetheDoesn't surprise me that Christ our Lord preferred to live with whores and sinners, seeing I go in for that myself.
Johann Wolfgang von GoetheThe 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.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe