“The deepest, the only theme of human history, compared to which all others are of subordinate importance, is the conflict of scepticism with faith.”

“Where the light is brightest, the shadows are deepest.”

“I myself must also say I believe it is true that in the end humanitarianism will triumph; only I fear that at the same time the world will be one big hospital and each person will be the other person's humane keeper.”

“There occurs the beautiful feeling that only humanity together is the true human being, and that the individual can be cheerful and happy only if he has the courage to feel himself in the Whole.”

“A creation of importance can only be produced when its author isolates himself; it is a child of solitude.”

“The most foolish of all errors is for clever young men to believe that they forfeit their originality in recognising a truth which has already been recognised by others.”

“Whatever is the lot of humankindI want to taste within my deepest self.I want to seize the highest and the lowest,to load its woe and bliss upon my breast,and thus expand my single self titanicallyand in the end go down with all the rest.”