Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"What one generation leaves another must reckon with."

"Dare to know thyself."

"The flower fades, but the scent lingers in memory."

"All theory is grey; green is the tree of life."

"How can we know ourselves? Never by introspection, but only through action."

"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."

"Life is neither to be fled nor clung to; it is to be accepted and experienced."

"One cannot always be a hero, but one can always be a man."

"The great and golden rule of art is, that the more strange and new it is the better."

"He who is firm in his will molds the world to himself."

"Love grows by giving; joy is increased by sharing."

"The beginning of greatness is to be little."

"If you would know the value of a year, ask a student who failed an exam."

"The person born with a talent for finding fault will find plenty of it, for there is much to find and plenty to spare."

"To the man who loves art, working is not hard. Every pushback is just an opportunity to grow."

"Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men."

"The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too."

"There is nothing worth having that can be obtained by nuclear war."

"Nature uses only the longest threads to weave her patterns."

"The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least."

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply it. Being willing is not enough; we must do it."

"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him."

"If you want to know yourself, just as you true self, just observe how you act when you are totally free to do whatever you like."

"A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart."

"The richness of life lies in the multitude of talents."

"Tell me what you read and I'll tell you what you are."

"Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow."

"Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it."

"There is nothing to which men cling more tenaciously than the pleasures of the imagination."

"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough."