Der goldne Topf Quotes

“In such a dreamy mood one may find one may well wound one's feet against sharp stones, forget to doff one's hat to distinguished persons, bid one's friends good morning in the middle of the night, and dash one's head against the first front door one comes to, because one had forgot to open it; in short, the spirit wears one's body like an ill-fitting garment that is everywhere too wide, too long, too uncomfortable.”
― E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Golden Pot and Other Tales

“It may be, after all," said the Student Anselmus to himself, "that the superfine stomachic liqueur, which I took somewhat freely in Monsieur Conradi's, might really be the cause of all these shocking phantasms, which tortured me so at Archivarius Lindhorst's door.”
― E.T.A. Hoffmann, Der goldne Topf

“Leuwenhoek received Peregrinus with a repulsively unctuous display of friendship and with the servile compliments which convey an enforced and reluctant acknowledgement of superiority.”
― E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Golden Pot and Other Tales

“Many years had passed, and the two Magi had quarrelled, for learned men are more ready to quarrel, the more learned they are.”
― E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Golden Pot and Other Tales

“Once upon a time—what author nowadays dare begin his tale in such a way? 'Old-fashioned! Boring!' cries the kind or rather unkind reader...”
― E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Golden Pot and Other Tales

“It is certainly true enough that Mr. Peregrinus had many strange qualities which people found hard to accept.”
― E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Golden Pot and Other Tales