Instruction does much, but encouragement everything."(Letter to A.F. Oeser, Nov. 9, 1768)

Wer nicht von dreitausend Jahren sich weiß Rechenschaft zu geben, bleib im Dunkeln unerfahren, mag von Tag zu Tage leben.

We really learn only from those books that we cannot judge. The author of a book that we were able to judge would have to learn from us.

Only learn to seize good fortune, for good fortune's always here.

What we do not understand we do not possess.

The close and thoughtful observer more and more learns to recognize his limitations. He realizes that with the steady growth of knowledge more and more new problems keep on emerging.

A man doesn't learn to understand anything unless he loves it.

Everywhere, we learn only from those whom we love.

Each has his own happiness in his hands, as the artist handles the rude clay he seeks to reshape it into a figure; yet it is the same with this art as with all others: only the capacity for it is innate; the art itself must be learned and painstakingly practiced.