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Quote by Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“The naive is what is or appears to be natural, individual, or classical to the point of irony or to the point of continuous alternation of self-creation and self-destruction. If it is only instinct, then it is childlike, childish, or silly; if it is only intention, it becomes affectation.”

Quote by Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

Author

Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel was a German poet known for his significant contributions to Romantic literature. His works deeply influenced the development of German literature, particularly in the realms of poetry and drama. more

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“The naive which is simultaneously beautiful, poetic, and idealistic, must be both intention and instinct. The essence of intention, in this sense, is freedom. Consciousness is far from intention. There is a certain enamoured contemplation of one's own naturalness or silliness which itself is unspeakably silly. Intention does not necessarily require a profound calculation or plan.”

Doe Beautiful Certain Consciousness Plans Essence Intention Instinct Profound Silly Contemplation Poetic Naive Calculations Idealistic Silliness

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“Every form of life is in its origin not natural, but divine and human; for it must spring from love, just as there can be no reason without spirit.”

Humans Reason Form Life Is Spirit Natural Divine Spring Divinity No Reason

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“We should never invoke the spirit of antiquity as our authority. Spirits are peculiar things; they cannot be grasped with the hands and be held up before others. Spirits reveal themselves only to spirits. The most direct and concise method would be, in this case as well, to prove the possession of the only redeeming faith by good works.”

Should Wells Hands Would Be Spirit Cases Prove Authority Direct Method Possession Peculiar Good Work Antiquity Invoke Redeeming Concise

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“Sense (for a particular art, science, human being, and so forth) is divided spirit; self-restraint is consequently the result of self-creation and self-destruction.”

Humans Art Self Spirit Human Beings Results Creation Particular Destruction Divided Restraint Self Destruction Self Restraint

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“Even a friendly conversation which cannot be at any given moment be broken off voluntarily with complete arbitrariness has something illiberal about it. An artist, however, who is able and wants to express himself completely, who keeps nothing to himself and would wish to say everything he knows, is very much to be pitied.”

Knows Want Moments Able Artist Given Wish Broken Conversation Friendly

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“Some speak of the public as if it were someone with whom they have had dinner at the Leipzig Fair in the Hotel de Saxe. Who is this public? The public is not a thing, but rather an idea, a postulate, like the Church.”

Ifs Ideas Speak Church Fairs Dinner Hotel Leipzig

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“A classification is a definition comprising a system of definitions.”

Definitions Classification

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“True love should be, according to its origin, entirely arbitrary and entirely accidental at the same time; it should seem both necessary and free; in keeping with its nature, however, it should be both destiny and virtue and appear as a mystery and a miracle.”

Should Seems Destiny Virtue Mystery Miracle Arbitrary

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“The most important thing in love is the sense for one another, and the highest thing the faith in one another. Devotion is the expression of that faith, and pleasure can revive and enhance that sense, even if not create it, as is commonly thought. Therefore, sensuality can delude bad persons for a short time into thinking they could love each other.”

Ifs Thinking Persons Important Love Is Pleasure Expression Highest Important Things Devotion Sensuality Love Each Other Short Time Revive

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

“A good preface must be the root and the square of the book at the same time.”

Book Roots Squares

Author:Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel