A.R. Von Quotes

Age childish makes, they say, but 'tis not true; We're only genuine children still in Age's season. [Ger., Das Alter macht nicht kindisch, wie man spricht, Es findet uns nur noch als wahre Kinder.]

Desire is the presentiment of our inner abilities, and the forerunner of our ultimate accomplishments.

There is a politeness of the heart; this is closely allied to love.

If we reason that we want happiness for others, not for ourselves, then we ought justly to be suspected of failing to recognize human nature for what it is and of wishing to turn men into machines.

Action has magic, grace and power in it.

I am certain that I have been here as I am now a thousand times before, and I hope to return a thousand times.

English plays, Atrocious in content, Absurd in form, Objectionable in action, Execrable EnglishTheatre.

Even by means of our sorrows we belong to the eternal plan.

Thou art in the end what thou art. Put on wigs with millions of curls, set thy foot upon ell-high rocks. Thou abidest ever--what thou art.

The price of apparent happiness and enjoyment is the neglect of the spontaneous active energies of the acting members.

Women are in this respect more fortunate than men, that most of their employments are of such a nature that they can at the same time be thinking of quite different things.

For a strolling damsel a doubtful reputation bears. [Ger., Denn ein wanderndes Madchen ist immer von schwankendem Rufe.]

Beauty vanishes; virtue is lasting.

The art of living rightly is like all arts; it must be learned and practiced with incessant care.

Mysteries are not necessarily miracles.

People are so constituted that everybody would rather undertake what they see others do, whether they have an aptitude for it or not.

Giving is the business of the rich.

He who cannot love must learn to flatter.

When I make a mistake everyone can see it, but not when I lie.

He is dead in this world who has no belief in another.

I myself won't do anything, but I won't stop anyone else from acting.

The universal subjugator, the commonplace.

A noble soul alone can noble souls attract; And knows alone, as ye, to hold them.

Since you know me and my destiny only too well, you probably also know what attracts me to all unfortunate people.

He who does not stretch himself according to the coverlet finds his feet uncovered.

If you don't execute your ideas, they die.

Real inward devotion knows no prayer but that arising from the depths of its own feelings.

Here's my advice: Go ahead and be whacky. Get into a crazy frame of mind and ask what's funny about what you're doing.

For many people, one of the most frustrating aspects of life is not being able to understand other people's behavior.

The greater part of all the mischief in the world arises from the fact that men do not sufficiently understand their own aims.

A vain man can never be altogether rude. Desirous as he is of pleasing, he fashions his manners after those of others.

Am I Getting Lazy? Am I Too Busy? Am I Becoming Arrogant? Am I Getting Timid? If you answer 'yes' to any one of these questions, that's your warning to Kick that attitude!

My inheritance how lordly wide and fair; Time is my fair seed-field, to Time I'm heir.

It is said, that no one is a hero to their butler. The reason is, that it requires a hero to recognize a hero. The butler, however, will probably know well how to estimate his equals.

What a man does not understand, he does not possess.

Fame, I mean, it's like a bubble, in a way. It's like something glittery, and it goes, and it can be forgotten fast.

Experience is only half of experience.

Wherever the citizen becomes indifferent to his fellows, so will the husband be to his wife, and the father of a family toward the members of his household.

The German Army is tired. The vain effort to defeat Russia's armies has used up its equipment and reduced its morale.

What we will have attained when Neil Armstrong steps down upon the moon is a completely new step in the evolution of man.

The State is not in itself an end, but is only a means towards human development.

Whoever, in middle age, attempts to realize the wishes and hopes of his early youth, invariably deceives himself. Each ten years of a man's life has its own fortunes, its own hopes, its own desires.

The world sees only the reflection of merit; therefore when you come to know a really great man intimately, you may as often find him above as below his reputation.

What matters in art is not thinking but making.

Whoever gives himself up to solitude, Ah! he is soon alone.

Ill-humor is nothing more than an inward feeling of our own want of merit, a dissatisfaction with ourselves which is always united with an envy that foolish vanity excites.

All translating seems to me to be simply an attempt to accomplish an impossible task.

Nothing is more dangerous than solitude.

I don't know a greater advantage, than to appreciate the worth of an enemy.

Get me a broom. I'll sweep my own office.