Maxims and Reflections

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About this book

Brief observations on advice, error, prejudice and self-command give this collection its shape. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe moves between the habits of individual people and larger questions about order, reform and culture. The numbered sayings often turn on a distinction: enthusiasm can help or mislead, and familiar work can seem comfortable precisely because it asks little of us. Bailey Saunders presents these prose maxims in English, with a preface explaining the selection.

The contents range from life and character to literature, art, science and nature. Saunders describes assistance from Huxley with the scientific material and Leighton with the observations on art, making the choices behind this edition part of its interest. Readers can use the short entries as starting points for reflection on judgment and everyday conduct, while noticing how often a confident statement invites an argument.

About the author

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was a German poet, novelist, and statesman widely regarded as the greatest figure of German literature. His range, from Werther to Faust, shaped European culture for generations.