Nature is beneficent. I praise her and all her works. She is silent and wise. She is cunning, but for good ends. She has brought me here and will also lead me away. She may scold me, but she will not hate her work. I trust her.

There is no surer method of evading the world than by following Art, and no surer method of linking oneself to it than by Art.

Oh, happy he who still hopes he can emerge from Error's boundless sea! - Faust.

No prudent antagonist thinks light of his adversaries.

A man's shortcomings are taken from his epoch; his virtues and greatness belong to himself.

I hate all bungling as I do sin, but particularly bungling in politics, which leads to the misery and ruin of many thousands and millions of people.

There are but few who have ideas and are, at the same time, capable of action. Ideas enlarge but stymie, action enlivens but confines.