For one who is having no personal experience, the passionate disquiet of others is at any rate a titillation of the nerves, like seeing a play or listening to music. Stefan Zweig More Quotes by Stefan Zweig More Quotes From Stefan Zweig In history as in human life, regret does not bring back a lost moment and a thousand years will not recover something lost in a single hour. Stefan Zweig regretlifeyears Time to leave now, get out of this room, go somewhere, anywhere; sharpen this feeling of happiness and freedom, stretch your limbs, fill your eyes, be awake, wider awake, vividly awake in every sense and every pore. Stefan Zweig eyefeelingsrooms Truth to tell, we are all criminals if we remain silent. Stefan Zweig criminalssilencetruth Only the misfortune of exile can provide the in-depth understanding and the overview into the realities of the world. Stefan Zweig depthunderstandingreality It is never until one realizes that one means something to others that one feels there is any point or purpose in one's own existence. Stefan Zweig realizingpurposemean Only the person who has experienced light and darkness, war and peace, rise and fall, only that person has truly experienced life. Stefan Zweig warlifefall All I know is that I shall be alone again. There is nothing more terrible than to be alone among human beings. Stefan Zweig terriblehumansknows Often the presence of mind and energy of a person remote from the spotlight decide the course of history for centuries to come. Stefan Zweig presence-of-mindspotlightenergy There is nothing more vindictive, nothing more underhanded, than a little world that would like to be a big one. Stefan Zweig vindictivelittlesworld We live through myriads of seconds, yet it is always one, just one, that casts our entire inner world into turmoil, the second when (as Stendhal has described it) the internal inflorescence, already steeped in every kind of fluid, condenses and crystallizes—a magical second, like the moment of generation, and like that moment concealed in the warm interior of the individual life, invisible, untouchable, beyond the reach of feeling, a secret experienced alone. No algebra of the mind can calculate it, no alchemy of premonition divine it, and it can seldom perceive itself. Stefan Zweig secretmindfeelings Freedom is not possible without authority - otherwise it would turn into chaos and authority is not possible without freedom - otherwise it would turn into tyranny. Stefan Zweig chaostyrannyauthority One can run away from anything but oneself. Stefan Zweig running-awayoneselfrunning There are two kinds of pity. One, the weak and sentimental kind, which is really no more than the heart's impatience to be rid as quickly as possible of the painful emotion aroused by the sight of another's unhappiness, that pity which is not compassion, but only an instinctive desire to fortify one's own soul agains the sufferings of another; and the other, the only one at counts, the unsentimental but creative kind, which knows what it is about and is determined to hold out, in patience and forbearance, to the very limit of its strength and even beyond. Stefan Zweig compassionsightheart Happy people are poor psychologists. Stefan Zweig happy-peoplepoorpeople In history, the moments during which reason and reconciliation prevail are short and fleeting. Stefan Zweig fleetingmomentsreason How terrible this darkness was, how bewildering, and yet mysteriously beautiful! Stefan Zweig terribledarknessbeautiful Hairdressers are professional gossips; when only the hands are busy, the tongue is seldom still. Stefan Zweig gossiptonguehands Those whom fate has dealt hard knocks remain vulnerable for ever afterwards. Stefan Zweig ever-afterfatevulnerable One never gets to know a person's character better than by watching his behavior during decisive moments.... It is always only danger which forces the most deeply hidden strengths and abilities of a human being to come forth. Stefan Zweig human-naturestrengthcharacter The subject of a rumor is always the last to hear it. Stefan Zweig rumorsubjectslasts
