Jean Paul Richter Quotes on Death & Dying (2 Quotes)

It has been jestingly said that the works of John Paul Richter are almost unintelligible to any but the Germans, and even to some of them. A worthy German, just before Richter's death, edited a complete edition of his works, in which one particular passage fairly puzzled him. Determined to have it explained at the source, he went to John Paul himself. The author's reply was very characteristic 'My good friend, when I wrote that passage, God and I knew what it meant it is possible that God knows it still but as for me, I have totally forgotten.'

The long sleep of death closes our scars, And the short sleep of life our wounds. Sleep is the half of time which heals us.