"As the sea in its sublime uniformity ever brings manifold images before the soul, and calls up a variety of thoughts, it became quite evident to me, from violent continuous storms, what flattering gentleness the sea has in its greatest terrors. The sea, which swallows up what it seizes, advances with playfulness and covers the deep abyss with white foam. The sea has been called deceitful and treacherous, but there lies in this trait only the character of a great natural power which, to speak according to our own feelings, renews its strength, and, without reference to joy or sorrow, follows eternal laws which are imposed by a higher Power."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Academics from GermanyAmbassadorsPhilosophers from GermanyDiplomats of GermanyLinguists from Germany
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
. Letter II. 36 (p. 222)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wilhelm_von_Humboldt
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Wilhelm von Humboldt
1767 – 1835
112 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Wilhelm von Humboldt →
Related Quotes
"A letter is a conversation between the present and the absent. Its fate is that it cannot last, but must pass away li…"
"Happiness passes away, leaving hardly the slightest trace behind, indeed can scarcely be called happiness, since noth…"
"I have, besides, a great love for the past. Only what refers to it is eternal and unchangeable like death, and at the…"
"It is certainly true that I am unable to forget or give up any one with whom I have been intimate; far from this, I f…"
"The fate of no man, not even the happiest, is free from struggles and privation; for true happiness is only then atta…"
"Women are in this respect more fortunate, and yet more unfortunate, than men — that most of their employments are of …"
"My house and the things in it have always something pleasant to me. There is always a something about home which addr…"
"I read the Indian poem for the first time when I was in my country estate in Silesia and, while doing so, I felt a se…"
"If the mind loves solitude, it has thereby acquired a loftier character, and it becomes still more noble when the tas…"
"Friendship and love require the deepest and most entire confidence, but souls of a high character demand not communic…"