Europe

Explore 4622 quotes by people from Europe

The absurd... The fact that with God everything is possible. The absurd does not belong to the distinctions that lie within the proper compass of the understanding. It is not identical with the improbable, the unexpected, the unforeseen.

Soren Kierkegaard

Fear and Trembling

Buy Fear and Trembling at Amazon Buy Fear and Trembling at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

The absurd

Author

Soren Kierkegaard

Source

Fear and Trembling

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Danish

Time

1843 1840s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Kierkegaard, Soren [published as Johannes de silentio]. Frygt og Bæven [Fear and Trembling]. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, 1843.

Current Citation

Kierkegaard, Soren. Fear and Trembling, translated by Alastair Hannay. Penguin Classics, 1986.

The first virtue of a painting is to be a feast for the eyes.

Eugène Delacroix

More information about this quote

Topic

Purpose of art Painting Art

Author

Eugène Delacroix

Medium

Personal journal

Language

French

Time

1863 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Delacroix, Eugene. Journal entry. 22 June 1863.

Current Citation

Delacroix, Eugène. The Journal of Eugène Delacroix: A Selection, translated by Lucy Norton, edited by Hubert Wellington. Phaidon, 1995.

People who know little are usually great talkers, while men who know much say little.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Emile; or, On Education

Buy Emile, or On Education at Amazon Buy Emile, or On Education at Amazon
Read Emile at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Talking too much

Author

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Source

Emile; or, On Education

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

French

Time

1762 1760s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Emile, ou De l'education [Emile, or On Education]. A la Haye: Jean Neaulme, 1762, bk. 4.

But for mine own part, it was Greek to me.

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

Buy Julius Caesar at Amazon Buy Julius Caesar at Amazon
Read Julius Caesar at The Folger Shakespeare Library

More information about this quote

Topic

Gibberish

Speaker

Casca

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Julius Caesar

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play) Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, 1599, Globe Theatre, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 2.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Julius Caesar." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 2.

We only die once, and for such a long time!

Molière

Read The Love-Tiff at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Finality of death

Speaker

Mascarille

Author

Molière

Source

The Love-Tiff

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play) Comedy

Language

French

Time

1656 1650s 17th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Moliere. Le Depit Amoureux [The Love-Tiff]. 16 Dec. 1656, Beziers, France, act 5, sc. 4.

An honest man's the noblest work of God.

Alexander Pope

An Essay on Man

More information about this quote

Topic

Honesty Character

Author

Alexander Pope

Source

An Essay on Man

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1733 1730s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pope, Alexander. "An Essay on Man." London: J. Wilford, 1733, ep. 4, l. 248.

Current Citation

Pope, Alexander. "An Essay on Man." The Major Works, edited by Pat Rogers. Oxford University Press, 2009, ep. 4, I. 248.

Don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden: your father had an accident there, he was put into a pie by Mrs. McGregor.

Beatrix Potter

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Buy The Tale of Peter Rabbit at Amazon Buy The Tale of Peter Rabbit at Amazon

More information about this quote

Speaker

Mrs. Rabbit

Author

Beatrix Potter

Source

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Genre

Children's literature

Statement Type

Warning

Language

English

Time

1902 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Frederick Warne & Co., 1902.

Current Citation

Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Frederick Warne & Co., 2012.

I have never been more struck by the good sense and the practical judgment of the Americans than in the manner in which they elude the numberless difficulties resulting from their Federal Constitution.

Alexis de Tocqueville

Democracy in America

Buy Democracy in America at Amazon Buy Democracy in America at Amazon
Read Democracy in America, vol. 1 at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

US Constitution American character

Author

Alexis de Tocqueville

Source

Democracy in America

Genre

Political literature

Language

French

Time

1835 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Tocqueville, Alexis De. De La Democratie en Amerique [Democracy in America]. Vol. 1, London: Saunders and Otley, 1835, ch. 8, pt. 5.

Current Citation

Tocqueville, Alexis De. Democracy in America: The Complete and Unabridged Volumes I and II, translated by Henry Reeve. Bantam Classics, 2000, vol. 1, ch. 8, pt. 5.

One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship

Buy Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship at Amazon Buy Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship at Amazon
Read Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

How to live

Speaker

Serlo

Author

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Source

Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship

Medium

Novel

Statement Type

Advice

Language

German

Time

1786 1780s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre [Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship]. Berlin: Johann Friedrich Unger, 1785-1786, bk. 5, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. "Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship." Goethe: The Collected Works, edited and translated by Eric A. Blackall. Vol. 9, Princeton University Press, 1995, bk. 5, ch. 1.

Many a crown shines spotless now
That yet was deeply sullied in the winning.

Friedrich Schiller

The Death of Wallenstein

Read The Death of Wallenstein at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Ill gotten gains

Speaker

Wallenstein

Author

Friedrich Schiller

Source

The Death of Wallenstein

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play) Tragedy

Language

German

Time

1798 1790s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Schiller, Friedrich. Wallenstein. 20 Apr. 1799, Weimarer Hoftheatre (now Deutsche Nationaltheatre Weimar), Weimar, Germany, act 2, sc. 2.

Current Citation

Schiller, Friedrich. "Wallenstein's Death." The Robbers and Wallenstein, translated by F. J. Lamport. Penguin Classics, 1980, act 2, sc. 2.

The sea, the ever renewing sea!

Paul Valéry

The Graveyard by the Sea

Read The Graveyard by the Sea at allpoetry.com

More information about this quote

Topic

Ocean and sea

Author

Paul Valéry

Source

The Graveyard by the Sea Charmes

Medium

Poem

Language

French

Time

1922 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Valéry, Paul. "Le cimetiere marin [The Graveyard by the Sea]." Charmes ou poèmes. Nouvelle Revue Francaise, 1922.

A teacher who can arouse a feeling for one single good action, for one single good poem, accomplishes more than he who fills our memory with rows on rows of natural objects, classified with name and form.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Elective Affinities

Buy Elective Affinities at Amazon Buy Elective Affinities at Amazon
Read Elective Affinities at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Teachers

Author

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Source

Elective Affinities

Medium

Novel

Language

German

Time

1808 1800s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. Die Wahlvenwandtschaften [Elective Affinities]. Tubingen: J. G. Cottaische Buchhandlung, 1809, bk. 2, ch. 7.

Current Citation

Von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. Elective Affinities, translated by David Constantine. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 2, ch. 7.

It is more of a job to interpret the interpretations than to interpret the things, and there are more books about books than about any other subject: we do nothing but write glosses about each other.

Michel de Montaigne

Essays

Buy the Essays at Amazon Buy the Essays at Amazon
Read the Essays at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Interpretation and analysis

Author

Michel de Montaigne

Source

Of Experience Essays

Medium

Essay

Language

French

Time

1580 1580s 16th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

De Montaigne, Michel. "De l'Experience [Of Experience]." Essais [Essays]. Paris: Simon Millanges and Jean Richer, 1580.

Current Citation

De Montaigne, Michel. "On Experience." The Complete Essays, edited and translated by M. A. Screech. Penguin Classics, 1993.

Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.

Paul Klee

More information about this quote

Topic

Art

Author

Paul Klee

Genre

Historical literature

Language

German

Time

1920 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Klee, Paul. "Schöpferische Konfession [Creative Confession]." Tribüne der Kunst und der Zeit. Eine Schriftensammlung [Tribune of Art and Time. A Font Collection]. Berlin: Von Kasimir Edschmid, 1920.

Current Citation

Klee, Paul. "Creative Confession." Creative Confession and Other Writings. Tate, 2014.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too.

John Keats

To Autumn

Buy Keats's Complete Poems and Selected Letters at Amazon Buy Keats's Complete Poems and Selected Letters at Amazon
Read To Autumn at Poetry Foundation

More information about this quote

Topic

Autumn

Author

John Keats

Source

To Autumn

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1820 1820s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Keats, John. "To Autumn." Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St Agnes and Other Poems. London: Taylor and Hessey, 1820, I. 23.

Current Citation

Keats, John. "To Autumn." John Keats: Selected Poems, edited by John Barnard. Penguin Classics, 2007, I. 23.

For a man who no longer has a homeland, writing becomes a place to live.

Theodor Adorno

Minima Moralia

Buy Minima Moralia at Amazon Buy Minima Moralia at Amazon
Read Minima Moralia at marxists.org

More information about this quote

Topic

Exile Writing

Author

Theodor Adorno

Source

Minima Moralia

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

German

Time

1951 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Adorno, Theodor. Minima Moralia: Reflexionen aus dem beschädigten Leben [Minima Moralia: Reflections from Damaged Life]. Suhrkamp Verlag, 1951.

Current Citation

Adorno, Theodor. Minima Moralia: Reflections from Damaged Life, translated by E. F. N. Jephcott. Verso, 2020.

I have ever hated all nations, professions, and communities, and all my love is towards individuals...I hate and detest that animal called man, although I heartily love John, Peter, Thomas, and so forth.

Jonathan Swift

More information about this quote

Topic

Individual vs. the collective

Author

Jonathan Swift

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1725 1720s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Swift, Jonathan. Letter to Alexander Pope. 29 Sept. 1725.

Current Citation

Swift, Jonathan. "Swift to Alexander Pope, 29 September 1725." The Major Works, edited by Angus Ross and David Woolley. Oxford University Press, 2008.

You are our dearly beloved brothers, and in a certain way, it could be said that you are our elder brothers.

Pope John Paul II

On Judaism and the Jewish people.

More information about this quote

Topic

The Jewish people

Speaker

Pope John Paul II

Medium

Speech

Language

Italian

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Pope John Paul II. "Text of Pope's Speech at Rome Synagogue: 'You Are Our Elder Brothers.'" The New York Times, 14 Apr. 1986, sec. A, p. 4. Originally was a speech to the Jewish Community of Rome. 13 Apr. 1986, Great Synagogue of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My mother.

Ann Taylor

My Mother

More information about this quote

Topic

Mothers and children

Author

Ann Taylor

Source

My Mother

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1804 1800s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Taylor, Ann. "My Mother." Original Poems, for Infant Minds. London: Darton and Harvey, 1804, I. 21.

Whatever is funny is subversive, every joke is ultimately a custard pie...A dirty joke is not, of course, a serious attack upon morality, but it is a sort of mental rebellion, a momentary wish that things were otherwise.

George Orwell

More information about this quote

Topic

Jokes

Author

George Orwell

Source

The Art of Donald McGill

Language

English

Time

1941 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Orwell, George. "The Art of Donald McGill." Horizon, Sept. 1941.

Current Citation

Orwell, George. "The Art of Donald McGill." The Collected Essays, Journalism And Letters Of George Orwell, vol. 2: My Country Right or Left 1940-1943, edited by Sonia Orwell and Ian Angus. David R. Godine, 2007, no. 27, pt. 4.