Quotes from Johann Gottfried Herder

Man is a central creature between the animals, that is to say, the most perfect form, which unites the traits of all in the most complete epitome.

Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.

It is a hard but good law of fate, that as every evil, so every excessive power, wears itself out.

Each nationality contains its centre of happiness within itself, as a bullet the centre of gravity.

Jesus Christ is, in the noblest and most perfect sense, the realized ideal of humanity.

Say oh wise man how you have come to such knowledge? Because I was never ashamed to confess my ignorance and ask others.

All our science calculates with abstracted individual external marks, which do not touch the inner existence of any single thing

To think what is true, to sense what is beautiful and to want what is good, hereby the spirit finds purpose of a life in reason.

As the shadow in early morning, is friendship with the wicked; it dwindles hour by hour. But friendship with the good increases, like the evening shadows, till the sun of life sets.

The roots of the deepest love die in the heart, if not tenderly cherished.

To think what is true, to sense what is beautiful and to want what is good, hereby the spirit finds purpose of a life in reason.

The universal dress of philosophy and philanthropy can conceal repression, violations of the true personal, human, local, civil, and national freedom

You people in all parts of the world, who have passed away over the ages, you did not live only to fertilize the earth with your ashes, so that at the end of time your descendants could become happy through European culture

il filosofo è tanto più bestia quanto più vuol esser dio

It can hardly be possible, that Nature should have given us a tongue, in order that the gratification of a few papillae on it should be the aim of a laborious life, or the cause of wretchedness to others.

Nicht um meine Sprache zu verlernen, lerne ich andere Sprachen, sondern ich gehe bloß durch fremde Gärten, um für meine Sprache Blumen zu holen.

We see so much that we in fact see nothing, and we know so much that we no longer possess anything that is our own, that is to say, something we could not have learned, something that arises out of the virtues and errors of our own self.

Touch not the flute when drums are sounding around; when fools have the word, the wise will be silent.

What destiny sends, bear! Whoever perseveres will be crowned.