Jean Paul
He thought of the mouldering child, which laid its withered thin arms around his soul, as if it were his own, and to whom Death had given as much as a god gave to Endymion, — sleep, eternal youth, and immortality.Collection: Inspirational
For the Infinite has sowed his name in the heavens in burning stars, but on the earth He has sowed his name in tender flowers.Collection: Stars
Ah! The seasons of love roll not backward but onward, downward forever.Collection: Life
A woman who could always love would never grow old; and the love of mother and wife would often give or preserve many charms if it were not too often combined with parental and conjugal anger. There remains in the face of women who are naturally serene and peaceful, and of those rendered so by religion, an after-spring, and later an after-summer, the reflex of their most beautiful bloom.Collection: Love
In science the new is an advance; but in morals, as contradicting our inner ideals and historic idols, it is ever a retrogression.Collection: Science
Has it never occurred to us, when surrounded by sorrows, that they may be sent to us only for our instruction, as we darken the eyes of birds when we wish them to sing?Collection: Gratitude
People will not bear it when advice is violently given, even if it is well founded. Hearts are flowers; they remain open to the softly falling dew, but shut up in the violent downpour of rain.Collection: Rain
Fancy rules over two thirds of the universe, the past, and future, while reality is confined to the presentCollection: Past
feelings of man are always pure and the brightest to the meeting time and Farewell.Collection: Farewell
It is not great, but little good-haps that make up happiness.Collection: Happiness
The heart needs not for its heaven much space, nor many stars therein, if only the star of love has arisen.Collection: Stars
In later life, as in earlier, only a few persons influence the formation of our character; the multitude pass us by like a distant army. One friend, one teacher, one beloved, one club, one dining table, one work table are the means by which one's nation and the spirit of one's nation affect the individual.Collection: Life
The look of a king is itself a deed.Collection: Kings
A variety of nothing is superior to a monotony of something.Collection: Monotony
Humankind's chief fault is that they have so many small ones.Collection: Faults
The gymnasium of running, walking on stilts, climbing, etc. stells and makes hardy single powers and muscles, but dancing, like a corporeal poesy, embellishes, exercises, and equalizes all the muscles at once.Collection: Dance
The happiness of life consists, like the day, not in single flashes (of light), but in one continuous mild serenity. The most beautiful period of the heart's existence is in this calm equable light, even although it be only moonshine or twilight. Now the mind alone can obtain for us this heavenly cheerfulness and peace.Collection: Happiness
I would rather dwell in the dim fog of superstition than in air rarefied to nothing by the air-pump of unbelief-in which the panting breast expires, vainly and convulsively gasping for breath.Collection: Fog
See, indeed, that your daughter is thoroughly grounded and experienced in household duties; but take care, through religion and poetry, to keep her heart open to heaven.Collection: Mom
The romance of life begins and ends with two blank pages. Age and extreme old age.Collection: Romance