The life of the artist should be distinguished from that of all other people, even in external habits. They are Brahmins, a higher caste, not ennobled by birth, however, but through deliberate self-initiation. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel More Quotes by Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel More Quotes From Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel Aphorisms are the true form of the universal philosophy. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel aphorismliteraturephilosophy God is each truly and exalted thing, therefore the individual himself to the highest degree. But are not nature and the world individuals? Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel degreesliteratureworld If you want to see mankind fully, look at a family. Within the family minds become organically one, and for this reason the family is total poetry. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel literaturemindlooks Only he who possesses a personal religion, an original view of infinity, can be an artist. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel individualityartistviews One of two things is usually lacking in the so-called Philosophy of Art: either philosophy or art. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel philosophytwoart All artists are self-sacrificing human beings, and to become an artist is nothing but to devote oneself to the subterranean gods. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel sacrificeartistself To disrespect the masses is moral; to honor them, lawful. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel disrespecthonorlaw If one believes philosophers, then what we call religion is only a deliberately popularized or an instinctively artless philosophy. Poets seem to consider religion rather as a variation of poetry which by misjudging its proper beautiful game takes itself too seriously and one-sidedly. Philosophy, however, admits and recognizes that it can begin and complete itself only with religion. Poetry seeks only to strive for the infinite and despises worldly utility and culture, which are the true antitheses of religion. Eternal peace among artists is thus not far away. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel beautifulphilosophybelieve Ideas are infinite, original, and lively divine thoughts. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel infinitedivineideas Plato's philosophy is a dignified preface to future religion. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel platophilosophyreligion Religion can emerge in all forms of feeling: here wild anger, there the sweetest pain; here consuming hatred, there the childlike smile of serene humility. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel smileangerpain The surest method of being incomprehensible or, moreover, to be misunderstood is to use words in their original sense; especially words from the ancient languages. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel misunderstoodliteratureuse There is no self-knowledge but an historical one. No one knows what he himself is who does not know his fellow men, especially the most prominent one of the community, the master's master, the genius of the age. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel selfbirthdaymen A classical work doesn't ever have to be understood entirely. But those who are educated and who are still educating themselves must desire to learn more and more from it. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel classicliteraturedesire A definition of poetry can only determine what poetry should be and not what poetry actually was and is; otherwise the most concise formula would be: Poetry is that which at some time and some place was thus named. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel definitionsliteraturewould-be Kant introduced the concept of the negative into philosophy. Would it not also be worthwhile to try to introduce the concept of the positive into philosophy? Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel tryingpositivephilosophy Nothing truly convincing - which would possess thoroughness, vigor, and skill - has been written against the ancients as yet; especially not against their poetry. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel vigorskillsliterature The difference between religion and morality lies simply in the classical division of things into the divine and the human, if one only interprets this correctly. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel differenceslyingreligion The German national character is a favorite subject of character experts, probably because the less mature a nation, the more she is an object of criticism and not of history. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel favorite-subjectcriticismcharacter What is called good society is usually nothing but a mosaic of polished caricatures. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel mosaicssocietyliterature
