“Genius in general is poetic. Where genius has been active it has been poetically active. The truly moral person is a poet.”

I often feel, and ever more deeply I realize, that fate and character are the same conception.

Only as far as a man is happily married to himself is he fit for married life and family life in general.

One should, when overwhelmed by the shadow of a giant, move aside and see if the colossal shadow isn’t merely that of a pygmy blocking out the sun.

Man has his being in truth–if he sacrifices truth he sacrifices himself. Whoever betrays truth betrays himself. It is not a question of lying–but of acting against one’s conviction.

Philosophy can bake no bread; but she can procure for us God, Freedom, Immortality. Which, then, is more practical, Philosophy or Economy?

Everything at a distance turns into poetry; distant mountains, distant people, distant events; all become Romantic.

Our bodies are molded rivers.

Where are we really going? Always home.

Everywhere we seek the Absolute, and always we find only things.

Every disease is a musical problem; every cure is a musical solution.

The ideal of morality has no more dangerous rival than the ideal of highest strength, of most powerful life. It is the maximum of the savage.

Friends, the soil is poor, we must sow seeds in plenty for us to garner even modest harvests.

The true Poet is all-knowing; he is an actual world in miniature.

Nature is a petrified magic city.

The Bible begins gloriously with Paradise, the symbol of youth, and ends with the everlasting kingdom, with the holy city. The history of every man should be a Bible.

Play is experimenting with chance.

We are confident that we will continue to play an active role in national affairs without disappointing everyone’s expectations.

I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active – not more happy – nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago.

I think what is meant by animal spirits is to be pro-active on all things that you do.

Sometimes the slow ones blame the active for the delay.

I have the choice of being constantly active and happy or introspectively passive and sad. Or I can go mad by ricocheting in between.

There’s nothing wrong with a little agitation for what’s right or what’s fair.

Be active! Take on responsibility! Work for the things you believe in. If you do not, you are surrendering your fate to others.

Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, as has been maintaining a sense of humor.