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E. T. A. Hoffmann Quotes

E. T. A. Hoffmann quotes

Critic, Writer January 24, 1776 – June 25, 1822

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Quotes

With the confidence and peace of mind native to true genius, I lay my life story before the world, so that the reader may learn how to educate himself to be a great tomcat, may recognize the full extent of my excellence, may love, value, honour and admire me- and worship me a little. Should anyone be audacious enough to think of casting doubt on the sterling worth of this remarkable book, let him reflect that he is dealing with a tomcat possessed of intellect, understanding, and sharp claws.... E. T. A. Hoffmann
Let me ask you outright, gentle reader, if there have not been hours, indeed whole days and weeks of your life, during which all your usual activities were painfully repugnant, and everything you believed in and valued seemed foolish and worthless? E. T. A. Hoffmann
Perhaps, too, you will then believe that nothing is more wonderful, nothing more fantastic than real life, and that all that a writer can do is to present it as "in a glass, darkly". E. T. A. Hoffmann
None but a poet can understand a poet; none but a romantic spirit transported with poetry and consecrated in the Holy of Holies an comprehend what the ordained utters out of his inspiration. E. T. A. Hoffmann
But if, like a bold painter, you had first sketched in a few audacious strokes the outline of the picture you had in your own soul, you would then easily have been able to deepen and intensify the colors one after the other, until the varied throng of living figures carried your friends away and they, like you, saw themselves in the midst of the scene that had proceeded out of your own soul. E. T. A. Hoffmann
There are... otherwise quite decent people who are so dull of nature that they believe that they must attribute the swift flight of fancy to some illness of the psyche, and thus it happens that this or that writer is said to create not other than while imbibing intoxicating drink or that his fantasies are the result of overexcited nerves and resulting fever. But who can fail to know that, while a state of psychical excitement caused by the one or other stimulant may indeed generate some lucky... E. T. A. Hoffmann
It is only in the morning that one should marry, read unfavourable reviews, make one's will, beat one's servants, and so forth. E. T. A. Hoffmann
I may be permitted, kind reader, to doubt whether you have ever been enclosed in a glass bottle, unless some vivid dream has teased you with such magical mishaps. E. T. A. Hoffmann
It is useless to contend with the irresistible power of Time, which goes on continually creating by a process of constant destruction. E. T. A. Hoffmann
Think of the wonderful circles in which our whole being moves and from which we cannot escape no matter how we try. The circler circles in these circles. E. T. A. Hoffmann
How prone poor Humanity is to dam up the minutest remnants of its freedom, and build an artificial roof to prevent it looking up to the clear blue sky. E. T. A. Hoffmann
Why should not a writer be permitted to make use of the levers of fear, terror and horror because some feeble soul here and there finds it more than it can bear? Shall there be no strong meat at table because there happen to be some guests there whose stomachs are weak, or who have spoiled their own digestions? E. T. A. Hoffmann
E. T. A. Hoffmann quote: "Once you are dancing with the devil, the prettiest capers..."
Once you are dancing with the devil, the prettiest capers won't help you. E. T. A. Hoffmann
Not a single man on earth knows from his own experience the how and where of his birth, only from tradition, which is often very uncertain. E. T. A. Hoffmann
She was not too tall, and of a voluptuous build, so that my eyes wandered amid many charms that hitherto had been strangers to them. E. T. A. Hoffmann

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