Even this treatise—as its title shows—is above all a recreation, a ray of sunshine, a leap sideways of a psychologist in his leisure moments. Maybe, too, a new war? And are we again cross-examining new idols? This little work is a great declaration of war; and with regard to the cross-examining of idols, this time it is not the idols of the age but eternal idols which are here struck with a hammer as with a tuning fork,—there are certainly no idols which are older, more convinced, and more inflated. Neither are there any more hollow. This does not alter the fact that they are believed in more than any others, besides they are never called idols,—at least, not the most exalted among their number.
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE.
TURIN, the 30th September 1888.
on the day when the first
book of the Transvaluation
of all Values was finished.
[MAXIMS AND MISSILES]
1
Idleness is the parent of all psychology. What? Is psychology then a—vice?
2