People to whom their daily life appears too empty and monotonous easily grow religious; this is comprehensible and excusable, only they have no right to demand religious sentiments from those whose daily life is not empty and monotonous. 1, 125
No man ever did a thing which was done only for others and without any personal motive.... 1, 134
In every ascetic morality man worships one part of himself as a God, and is obliged, therefore, to diabolise the other parts. 1, 140
What is it that we long for at the sight of beauty? We long to be beautiful, we fancy it must bring much happiness with it. But that is a mistake. 1, 156
There is an art of the ugly soul side by side with the art of the beautiful soul.... 1, 157
Artists of representation are especially held to be possessed of genius, but not scientific men. In reality, however, the former valuation and the latter under-valuation are only puerilities of reason. 1, 166-167
A good author possesses not only his own intellect, but also that of his friends. 1, 178
To look upon writing as a regular profession should justly be regarded as a form of madness. 1, 181
A conversation with a friend will only bear good fruit of knowledge when both think only of the matter under consideration and forget that they are friends. 1, 183
Complete praise has a weakening effect. 1, 184