Jean Paul Richter Quotes (33 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.'

    Never does a man portray his own character more vividly than in his manner of portraying another.


    Inspect the neighborhood of thy life every shelf, every nook of thine abode.


    Sleep, riches, and health, to be truly enjoyed, must be interrupted.

    The last, best fruit which comes to late perfection, even in the kindliest soul, is tenderness toward the hard, forbearance toward the unforbearing, warmth of heart toward the cold, philanthropy toward the misanthropic.


    How narrow our souls become when absorbed in any present good or ill It is only the thought of the future that makes them great.

    Without a God there is for man neither purpose, nor goal, nor hope, only a wavering future, and an eternal dread of every darkness.

    A good person can put himself in the place of a bad person more easily than a bad person can put himself in the place of a good person.

    The past and future are veiled but the past wears the widow's veil, the future the virgin's.

    Sorrow seems sent for our instruction, as we darken the cages of birds when we would teach them to sing.

    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.



    Pleasure soon exhausts us and itself also But endeavor never does.

    There is a certain noble pride, through which merits shine brighter than through modesty.

    What Cicero said of menthat they are like wines, age souring the bad, and bettering the goodwe can say of misfortune, that it has the same effect upon them.

    Sleep, riches, and health, are only truly enjoyed after they have been interrupted.

    What a father says to his children is not heard by the world, but it will be heard by posterity.

    Our sorrows are like thunder-clouds, which seem black in the distance, but grow lighter as they approach.


    The burden of suffering seems a tombstone hung about our necks, while in reality it is only the weight which is necessary to keep down the diver while he is hunting for pearls.

    In later life, as in earlier, only a few persons influence the formation of our character the multitude pass us by like a distant army. Onefriend, one teacher, one beloved, one club, one dining table, one work table are the means by which one's nation and the spirit of one'snation affect the individual.

    Has it never occurred to us, when surrounded by sorrows, that they may be sent to us only for our instruction.

    Winter, which strips the leaves from around us, makes us see the distant regions they formerly concealed so does old age rob us of our enjoyments, only to enlarge the prospect of eternity before us.

    A man never shows his own character so plainly as by his manner of portraying another's.


    We find God twice - once within, once without us within us as an eye, without us as a light.

    Time is a continual over-dropping of moments, which fall down one upon the other and evaporate.


    Life, like the waters of the seas, freshens only when it Ascends toward heaven.


    More Jean Paul Richter Quotations (Based on Topics)


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