The German national character is a favorite subject of character experts, probably because the less mature a nation, the more she is an object of criticism and not of history.

The surest method of being incomprehensible or, moreover, to be misunderstood is to use words in their original sense; especially words from the ancient languages.

Novels tend to end as the Paternoster begins: with the kingdom of God on earth.

Beauty is that which is simultaneously attractive and sublime.

In many a poetic work, one gets here and there, instead of representation merely a title indicating that this or that was supposedto be represented here, that the artist has been prevented from doing it and most humbly asks to be kindly excused.

Kant introduced the concept of the negative into philosophy. Would it not also be worthwhile to try to introduce the concept of the positive into philosophy?

An aphorism ought to be entirely isolated from the surrounding world like a little work of art and complete in itself like a hedgehog.