I should account as the foremost musician one who knew only the sadness of the most profound happiness, and no other sadness at all.

What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: 'This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more' ... Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him: 'You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine.

Man does not strive for happiness; only the Englishman does that.

Happiness: being able to forget or, to express in a more learned fashion.

O sky above me, you modest, glowing sky! O you, my happiness before sunrise! Day is coming: so let us part!

The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time.