"The century is advanced, but every individual..." - Quote by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

“Time itself is an element.”

“Even though the world as a whole progresses, youth must always start again from the beginning, and as individuals go through the epochs of the world's culture.”

“I can promise to be upright, but not to be without bias.[Ger., Aufrichtig zu sein kann ich versprechen; unparteiisch zu sein aber nicht.]”

“Mankind always sets itself only such tasks as it can solve; since, looking at the matter more closely, we will always find that the task itself arises only when the material conditions necessary for its solution already exist or are at least in the process of formation.”

“In every attempt there are many obstacles to cope with, but gradually the path becomes smooth.”

“We shall one day learn to supersede politics by education. What we call our root-and-branch reforms of slavery, war, gambling, intemperance, is only medicating the symptoms. We must begin higher up, namely, in education.”

“No man ever followed his genius till it misled him.”

“We are discreet sheep; we wait to see how the drove is going, and then go with the drove. We have two opinions: one private, which we are afraid to express; and another one - the one we use - which we force ourselves to wear to please Mrs. Grundy, until habit makes us comfortable in it, and the custom of defending it presently makes us love it, adore it, and forget how pitifully we came by it. Look at it in politics.”

“I would not have any one adopt my mode of living on any account.”