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
beauty lying clarity
For me the greatest beauty always lies in the greatest clarity.
tongue certain wit
He who doesn't lose his wits over certain things has no wits to lose.
drinking drunk lazy
Let us be lazy in everything, except in loving and drinking, except in being lazy.
reason loses ifs
If some things don't make you lose your sense of reason, then you have none to lose.
pleasure cheerfulness creator
What can the Creator see with greater pleasure than a happy creature?
begging-you lending borrowing
Borrowing is not much better than begging.
kings real beggar
The real beggar is indeed the true and only king.
dream action goodness
It's easier to swoon in pious dreams Than do good actions.
kings vagrants comparison
The true vagrant is the only king above all comparison.
giver
For the will and not the gift makes the giver.
mistrust suspicion
Suspicion follows close on mistrust.
stealing lending interest
To borrow scarce is better than to beg; As lending, lending upon interest, Scarce better is than stealing.
lending begging borrowing
I, who ne'erWent for myself a begging, go a borrowing,And that for others. Borrowing's much the sameAs begging; just as lending upon usuryIs much the same as thieving.
time thinking past
But how many moments are already past! Ah! who thinks of those that are past?