If you want to penetrate into the heart of physics, then let yourself be initiated into the mysteries of poetry.

Where philosophy ends, poetry must commence. There should not be a common point of view, a natural manner of thinking which standsin contrast to art and liberal education, or mere living; that is, one should not conceive of a realm of crudeness beyond the boundaries of education. Every conscious link of an organism should not perceive its limits without a feeling for its unity in relation to the whole. For example, philosophy should not only be contrasted to non-philosophy, but also to poetry.

Irony is a clear consciousness of an eternal agility, of the infinitely abundant chaos.

Wit is absolutely sociable spirit or aphoristic genius.

Morality without a sense of paradox is mean.

About no subject is there less philosophizing than about philosophy.

Whoever could properly characterize Goethe's Meister would have actually expressed what is the timely trend in literature. He would be able, as far as literary criticism is concerned, to rest.