Ladies’ Edinburgh Magazine > Volume 5

Maxims and ApJwrisins. 281
Jlaxims attli ^pfjorisms.
FKOM THE WRITINGS OF GOETHK.
[These, translated into English for the first time, we shall hope
occasionally to give our readers, with parallel thoughts from other
sources whenever this is possible.]
^ As in water face answereth to face—so tJie heart of man to man.'
Everything worth thinking has been already thought,
one must only try to think it out again.
' There is one sure way of giving freshness and importance to the
most commonplace maxims — that of reflecting on them in direct
reference to our own state and conduct, to our own past and future
being.'—Coleridge, Aids to Reflection.
'To restore a commonplace truth to its first uncommon lustre,
you need only translate it into action. But to do this, you must
have reflected on its truth.'—Coleeidge, Aids to Reflection.
' True wit is nature to advantage dress'd ;
What oft was thought, but ne'er so well express'd.'
Pope, Essay on Criticism.
'Exprimer ce que nul n'avait encore exprime et ce que nul autre
que nous ne pourrait rendre, c'est la, selon moi, I'objet et la fin de
tout ecrivain original.'—Sainte Beuve, Causeries de Lundi.
How can one learn to know oneself? Never by intro¬
spection, but by action. Try to do your duty, and yoti will
at once know what you are.
' Rely upon it, the spiritual life is not knowing, nor hearing, but
doing. We only know so far as we can do ; we learn to do by doing,
and we learn to know by doing.'—Life of F. W. Robertson.
* If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.'—
St. John vii. 17.
But what is your duty ? The day's claim.
The rational world may be looked upon as a great undying
individual who unceasingly acts upon the inevitable, and
thus learns to master even what is accidental.