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

In the ancients, one sees the accomplished letter of entire poetry: in the moderns, one has the presentiment of the spirit in becoming.

German writings attain popularity through a great name, or through personalities, or through good connections, or through effort,or through moderate immorality, or through accomplished incomprehensibility, or through harmonious platitude, or through versatile boredom, or through constant striving after the absolute.

Strictly speaking, the idea of a scientific poem is probably as nonsensical as that of a poetic science.

One should have wit, but not wish to have it; otherwise there will be witticism, the Alexandrian style of wit.

A critic is a reader who ruminates. Thus, he should have more than one stomach.

Philosophy is the true home of irony, which might be defined as logical beauty: for wherever men are philosophizing in spoken or written dialogues, and provided they are not entirely systematic, irony ought to be produced and postulated; even the Stoics regarded urbanity as a virtue.