Real inward devotion knows no prayer but that arising from the depths of its own feelings. Wilhelm von Humboldt More Quotes by Wilhelm von Humboldt More Quotes From Wilhelm von Humboldt I am more and more convinced that our happiness or our unhappiness depends far more on the way we meet the events of life than on the nature of those events themselves. Wilhelm von Humboldt attitudehappinesslife Absolutely nothing is so important for a nation's culture as its language. Wilhelm von Humboldt languageimportantculture Besides the pleasure derived from acquired knowledge, there lurks in the mind of man, and tinged with a shade of sadness, an unsatisfactory longing for something beyond the present, a striving towards regions yet unknown and unopened. Wilhelm von Humboldt sadnessmindmen Whatever does not spring from a man's free choice, or is only the result of instruction and guidance, does not enter into his very being, but still remains alien to his true nature; he does not perform it with truly human energies, but merely with mechanical exactness. Wilhelm von Humboldt choicesspringmen Every man, however good he may be, has a yet better man dwelling in him, which is properly himself, but to whom nevertheless he is often unfaithful. It is to this interior and less mutable being that we should attach ourselves, not to be changeable, every-day man. Wilhelm von Humboldt dwellingmaymen Death is but a word to us. One's own experience alone can teach us the real meaning of the word. The sight of the dying does little. What one sees of them is merely what precedes death: dull unconsciousness is all we see. Whether this be so,--how and when the spirit wakes to life again,--this is what all wish to know, and what never can be known until it is experienced. Wilhelm von Humboldt realsightdeath Natural objects themselves, even when they make no claim to beauty, excite the feelings, and occupy the imagination. Nature pleases, attracts, delights, merely because it is nature. We recognize in it an Infinite Power. Wilhelm von Humboldt gardenimaginationfeelings Language makes infinite use of finite media. Wilhelm von Humboldt medialanguageuse To behold, is not necessary to observe, and the power of comparing and combining is only to be obtained by education. It is much to be regretted that habits of exact observation are not cultivated in our schools; to this deficiency may be traced much of the fallacious reasoning, the false philosophy which prevails. Wilhelm von Humboldt mayphilosophyschool Trees have about them something beautiful and attractive even to the fancy, Wilhelm von Humboldt riverstreebeautiful Governmental regulations all carry coercion to some degree, and even where they don't, they habituate man to expect teaching, guidance and help outside himself, instead of formulating his own. Wilhelm von Humboldt degreesteachingmen The more a man acts on his own, the more he develops himself. In large associations he is too prone to become merely an instrument. Wilhelm von Humboldt instrumentsassociationmen It is almost more important how a person takes his fate than what it is. And the best way is with gratitude while trying to improve it for the good of others and themselves. Wilhelm von Humboldt gratitudefateimportant How a person masters his or her fate is more important than what that fate is. Wilhelm von Humboldt fateimportantsuccess To inquire and to create; these are the grand centres around which all human pursuits revolve, or at least to these objects do they all more or less directly refer. Wilhelm von Humboldt centrepursuithumans If the mind loves solitude, it has thereby acquired a loftier character, and it becomes still more noble when the taste is indulged in. Wilhelm von Humboldt mind-lovesolitudecharacter It is a characteristic of old age to find the progress of time accelerated. The less one accomplishes in a given time, the shorter does the retrospect appear. Wilhelm von Humboldt progressagedoe However great an evil immorality may be, we must not forget that it is not without its beneficial consequences. It is only through extremes that men can arrive at the middle path of wisdom and virtue. Wilhelm von Humboldt middle-pathevilmen Samskrit is the unsurpassed zenith in the whole development of languages yet known to us. Wilhelm von Humboldt zenithdevelopmentlanguage If we glance at the most important revolutions in history, we see at once that the greatest number of these originated in the periodical revolutions of the human mind. Wilhelm von Humboldt mindnumbershistory
