Friedrich von Hardenberg

“ How astonished would our cosmopolitans be if the time of perpetual peace appeared and they beheld the highest, most cultivated humanity in the form of the monarch? The paper glue that now pastes the people together will dissolve, and the spirit will banish the ghosts that appeared in the letters and emanated from the scattered authors and presses, and fuse all people together like a pair of lovers. ”

“ We dream of traveling through the universe: isn't that because the universe is in us? We do not know the depths of our minds.—The secret path goes within. Eternity, with its worlds, the future and the past, is in us or nowhere. The outside world is the shadow world, throwing its shadow into the realm of light. At this time it admittedly appears so dark, lonely, formless less inside, but how completely different it will appear to us when this eclipse has passed and the shadow of the body has passed away. We will savor it more than ever because our spirit has hungered. ”

“ Guided by the queen's taste, a brilliant master of ceremonies could make the court into an earthly paradise, could guide it through the simple theme of enjoying life through inexhaustible variations, and allow it to behold objects of common devotion in an always new, always stimulating milieu. For what feeling is is more heavenly than knowing that the ones you love are the truest enjoyment of life. ”

“ The regent produces an infinitely diverse spectacle, where stage and ground floor, actor and audience are one, and he himself is poet, director and hero of the play at the same time. How delightful when, as with the king, the directrice is at the same time the hero's lover and the heroine of the piece, when one catches a glimpse of the muse in her, it fills the poet with holy passion, and his lyre attunes to gentle heavenly melodies. ”

“ The most arbitrary prejudice is to deny a person's ability to be outside oneself, to be with an awareness beyond the senses. A person is able to be a supersensible being at any moment. Without this he would not be a citizen of the world, he would be an animal. ”

“ A flourishing land is more of a royal artwork than a park. A tasteful park is an English invention. A country that satisfies heart and mind should be a German invention; and the inventor would also be the king of all inventors. ”

“ Often it seems to me that am alone in the world, and the deities of plague seem to dwell around me and inside of me, chasing away the delight- often so glorious to me, so wonderful- that my imagination creates. ”

“ Nothing more should be closer to the heart of the king than to be and to stay as well-rounded, as informed, well-oriented, and unbiased, in short, so complete a human being as possible. No person has more means in his hands to make this highest style of humanity his own than a king. He can always keep himself young through interaction and continuous learning. An old king makes a state as miserable as he is himself. Couldn't it be easy for the king to make himself familiar with the scientific advances of humanity. ”

“ What you love, you will find everywhere, and see likenesses everywhere. The greater the love, the wider and more varied this world of likeness. My love is the abbreviation of the universe, the universe is the extension of my love. ”

“ The king is not a citizen therefore also not a civil servant. That is exactly what distinguishes the monarchy, that it is based on belief in a higher-born human being, on the voluntary acceptance of an ideal human being. I cannot choose a superior from amongst my peers; to anyone who is biased by the same circumstance as I, I can cede nothing. Therefore, the monarchy is a true system because it is bound to an absolute middle point; to an essence that belongs to humanity but not to the state. The king is a higher man to whom an earthly fate is given. ”

“ It is an irrefutable fact that most of the princes were not really princes, but usually more or less a kind of representative of the genius of their time, and that most of the time the government was as reasonably, in subordinate hands. ”

“ If the representative through the heights by which he has been raised—should become more mature and more refined—how much more an individual ruler? If people were what they should and can become—so would all forms of government be the same—humanity would be ruled the same everywhere, everywhere according to the original laws of humanity. ”

“ One loves changes—the other not. Perhaps during certain years we all love revolution, free competition, tournaments, and other such democratic events. But for most, these years pass—and we feel ourselves attracted to a more peaceful world, where a central sun leads the round dance and one will love the planet, than a destructive war fighting for the first dance. At the very least one should also be politically, as well as religiously, tolerant—one accepts only the possibility—that a rational being could be disposed differently than us. ”

“ Everyone should be an artist. Everything can become fine art. The prince's material is the artist; his will is his chisel: he inspires, employs and directs the artist, because only he sees the whole picture from the correct perspective, because only he is the one to execute the great idea through which through which the unity of power and idea is expressed completely in the present. ”

“ Genius states so boldly and certainly what it sees happening within itself because it not biased by its own representation and the representation does not bias it either, especially when the one contemplating and that which is being contemplated are freely attuned to one another, seeming to freely unite in one work. ”

“ Only a righteous man and a righteous state can create lasting happiness. Of what help is all wealth to me if it hinders me from getting fresh horses hastening one's journey through the world? Unselfish love in the heart and its watchword in the head, that is the sole eternal basis of all true inseparable relations, and what else is the relationship with the state than a marriage?
31. Like a father, a king must not show preference. He should not just have military companions and aides. ”

“ The individual, as such, is subject to chance according to his nature. In a complete democracy, I am subject to a great many, in a representative democracy to to fewer, in a monarchy to a single arbitrary fate. ”

“ Wherever there is a real inclination to reflect, not just to think this or that thought, there is also progressivity. Very many scholars do not have this inclination. They have learned to conclude and to infer, like a cobbler's shoemaking, without ever having an idea or trying to find the reason for a thought. ”

“ The leader, the first official of the state, has almost always been confused with the representative of the genius of humanity, which belongs to the unity of society or the people.
In the state everything is the acting of a show, the life of the people is a drama; hence the spirit of the people must also be displayed. This visible spirit either comes, as in the millennial kingdom, without our intervention, or it is chosen unanimously by loud or silent consent. ”

“ But the excellence of representative democracy is undeniable. A more natural, more excellent person is a poet's dream. So, what remains of the rest—an artificial composition. The most excellent people of the nation complement each other—in this society, a pure spirit of society is ignited. The society's decrees are the spirit's emanations—and the ideal ruler is realized. ”

“ The king is the true life principle of the state; just like the sun in the planetary system. First of all, the supreme life in the state generates the atmosphere of light around the life principle. It crystallizes in every citizen to a greater or lesser degree. The citizen's speech in the presence of the king become as shining and thus poetic as possible, or become expressions of the greatest inspiration. ”

“ The despotism of an individual still has the advantage over this despotism, that from it one at leasts saves time and shoes—when one had to deal with the government—and the former still plays with open cards—the latter doesn't know throughout the day who in the government—and which paths are most advantageous to take. ”

“ There will be a time coming and soon, when one will be generally convinced that there can exist no king without a republic and no republic without a king, that it is found that both are indivisible, like body and soul, and that a king without a republic and a republic without a king become only words without meaning. Thus a king always develops simultaneously with a true republic, and a republic with a true king. The real king will be the republic, the real republic be the king. ”

“ The coarse Philistine imagines the joys of heaven under the image of a church festival, a wedding, a trip or a ball: the sublimated one turns heaven into a sumptuous church with beautiful music, lots of pomp, with chairs for the common groundling, and chapels and galleries for the distinguished.
The worst of them are the revolutionary Philistines, to which also the dregs of the aimlessly-wandering minds, the greedy race, belongs. Gross self-interest is the necessary result of impoverished narrow-mindedness. The sensation of the moment is the liveliest, the highest one for a wretch. ”

“ First, I am doubtful about the most excellent people in the nation and the ignition of the pure spirit. Regarding the contradictory experience, I don't want to tempt fate at all. It is clear as day that a living body cannot be formed from dead matter—a just, selfless, liberal people cannot be composed from from unjust, selfish and one-sided people. ”

“ Darwin makes the observation that we are less blinded by the light upon awakening when we have dreamed of visible objects. Therefore, blessed are those who have dreamed of sight here! They will be able to bear the glory of that yonder world sooner. ”

“ One is already so used to solemn rites, especially those of religion, to indifferently disregard them and to judge them only with respect to their outward pomp. One usually looks forward to these days merely to manage a pointless life and to amuse oneself with festivities. ”

“ The practical person therefore rejects mere theory entirely without considering how problematic the answer to the question might be: "Whether the theory exists for the sake of application or the application for theory?" ”

“ As such, the king and the queen can and must be the principle of public opinion. There is no longer a monarchy where the king and the state's discernment are no longer identical. Thus, the king of France was already dethroned long before the revolution, as were most of Europe's princes. It would be a very dangerous symptom of the new Prussian state if we were too insensible to the beneficent influence of the king and the queen, if indeed there is a sense of this marvellous couple. ”

“ A true royal couple is to the entire people what a constitution is to the mere understanding. One can only be interested in a constitution for itself as one is interested in a letter. If the sign is not a beautiful image or song, then being faithful to images is the most inappropriate of all affections.—What is a principle, if it is not the expression of the will of a beloved, admirable person? ”

“ As a result of their greatest understanding, it became the crude passion for self-interest and at the same time their watchword, which makes this passion so dangerous and insurmountable. How wonderful it would be if the current king were truly convinced that this path is only that of a gambler's fleeting luck, which is determined by constantly changing factors, such as the imbecility of his fellow gamblers or their lack of skill and finesse. One learns to cheat by being cheated, and how soon do the tables turn and the master becomes a pupil of his pupil. ”

“ Any educated woman and any caring mother should have the image of the queen in her or her daughter's living room. What a beautiful, powerful reminder of the archetype that everyone would have set themselves to achieve. The character trait of the new Prussian woman, her national trait, would be similarity with the queen. A lovely being in a thousandfold forms. A meaningful ceremony of homage to the queen could easily be instituted with each wedding; and thus one ought to ennoble ordinary life through the king and queen, as the ancients otherwise did with their gods. ”

“ No interest is more interesting than that which one takes in oneself; just as the foundation for a remarkable friendship and love is the participation that a person excites in me when he is preoccupied with himself, who by his notice, so to speak, invites me to partake in his business. ”

“ Regarding the most worldly-wise—the most cunning toady of the great masses. Here, no spirit will ignite—and least of all a pure one—A great mechanism will be created—an inefficient routinization—from which only intrigue breaks through now and then. ”

“ But the more we are able to be conscious of this state, the livelier, more powerful, and more compelling is the conviction that arises from it; belief in true revelations of the spirit. It is not seeing, hearing, feeling; It is more than all three combined, more than all of the three: a perception of immediate certainty, a vision of my most true, most unique life. Thoughts transform themselves into laws, the wishes into fulfillments. For the shallow person, the reality of this moment is an article of faith. ”

“ Personal love would bind them forever to their sovereign, and the king would have the best opportunity to get to know his servants well, to choose, to respect and to love them personally. The noble simplicity of royal private life, the image of this happy, intimately connected couple, would have the most benevolent influence on the moral education of this core of Prussian youth, and so the king would most easily be granted the innate desire of his heart, to become the true reformer and restorer of his nation and his time. ”