Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessingwas a German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist and art critic, and one of the most outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature. He is widely considered by theatre historians to be the first dramaturg in his role at Abel Seyler's Hamburg National Theatre...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionCritic
Date of Birth22 January 1729
CountryGermany
art purpose ends
The end-purpose of all art is enjoyment!
truth humility hands
Did the Almighty, holding in his right hand truth, and in his left hand search after truth, deign to proffer me the one I might prefer, in all humility, but without hesitation, I should request search after truth.
death misery sin
It is not I who die, when I die, but my sin and misery.
heart preparation needs
When the heart dares to speak, it needs no preparation.
men doe reason
A man who does not lose his reason over certain things has none to lose.
joy dizzy giddy
Joy makes us giddy, dizzy.
doe may superstitions
The superstition in which we grew up, Though we may recognize it, does not lose Its power over us.-Not all are free Who make mock of their chains.
eye long arms
Would that we could at once paint with the eyes! In the long way from the eye through the arm to the pencil, how much is lost!
prayer grateful perfect
Ein einziger dankbarer Gedanke gen Himmel ist das vollkommenste Gebet. One single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.
hatred fruit
The most deadly fruit is borne by the hatred which one grafts on an extinguished friendship
eye men heretic
A heretic is a man who sees with his own eyes
reason loses ifs
If some things don't make you lose your sense of reason, then you have none to lose.
sun intention evident
Nothing under the sun is accidental, least of all that of which the intention is so clearly evident.
thinking yesterday suffering
Yesterday I lived, today I suffer, tomorrow I die; but I still think fondly, today and tomorrow, of yesterday.