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Wilhelm von Humboldt Biography

Wilhelm von Humboldt

Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Karl Ferdinand von Humboldt (/ˈhʌmboʊlt/; German: [ˈhʊmbɔlt]; 22 June 1767 – 8 April 1835) was a Prussian philosopher, linguist, government functionary, diplomat, and founder of the Humboldt University of Berlin, which was named after him in 1949 (and also after his younger brother, Alexander von Humboldt, a naturalist).

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Wilhelm von Humboldt Quotes

Freedom is but the possibility of a various and indefinite activity; while government, or the exercise of dominion, is a single, yet real activity. The longing for freedom, therefore, is at first only too frequently suggested by the deep-felt consciousness of its absence.

Activity, Exercise, Freedom, Longing, Real, Various

If it were not somewhat fanciful to suppose that every human excellence is presented, as it were, in one kind of being, we might believe that the whole treasure of morality and order is enshrined in the female character.

Believe, Character, Excellence, Fanciful, Kind, Women

However great an evil immorality may be, we must not forget that it is not without its beneficial consequences. It is only through extremes that men can arrive at the middle path of wisdom and virtue.

Consequences, Evil, Extremes, Men, Middle, Middle Path

Providence certainly does not favor just certain individuals, but the deep wisdom of its counsel, instruction and ennoblement extends to all.

Counsel, Doe, Favor, Favors, God, Individuals

Work is as much a necessity to man as eating and sleeping. Even those who do nothing that can be called work still imagine they are doing something. The world has not a man who is an idler in his own eyes.

Eye, Inspirational, Necessity, Sleep, Work, World

If the mind loves solitude, it has thereby acquired a loftier character, and it becomes still more noble when the taste is indulged in.

Character, Loftier, Mind, Mind Love, Solitude, Taste

Even by means of our sorrows we belong to the eternal plan.

Belong, Mean, Plan, Plans, Sorrow, Sorrows

The more a man acts on his own, the more he develops himself. In large associations he is too prone to become merely an instrument.

Men, Association, Instruments, Acts, Large, Develops

Governmental regulations all carry coercion to some degree, and even where they don't, they habituate man to expect teaching, guidance and help outside himself, instead of formulating his own.

Degrees, Guidance, Instead, Men, Regulations, Teaching

It is a characteristic of old age to find the progress of time accelerated. The less one accomplishes in a given time, the shorter does the retrospect appear.

Accomplishes, Age, Doe, Progress

Trees have about them something beautiful and attractive even to the fancy, since they cannot change their places, are witnesses of all the changes that take place around them; and as some reach a great age, they become, as it were, historical monuments, and like ourselves they have a life, growing and passing away, --not being inanimate and unvarying like the fields and rivers. One sees them passing through various stages, and at last step by step approaching death, which makes them look still more like ourselves.

Beautiful, Change, Passing, Rivers, Tree

No matter how good or great a man may be, there is yet a better and a greater man within him.

Good, Greater, Matter, May, Men

All translating seems to me to be simply an attempt to accomplish an impossible task.

Accomplish, Attempt, Impossible, Task, Tasks

Besides the pleasure derived from acquired knowledge, there lurks in the mind of man, and tinged with a shade of sadness, an unsatisfactory longing for something beyond the present, a striving towards regions yet unknown and unopened.

Longing, Man, Men, Mind, Sadness, Unopened

If we glance at the most important revolutions in history, we see at once that the greatest number of these originated in the periodical revolutions of the human mind.

History, Mind, Number, Numbers, Originated, Revolutions

Fancy brings us as many vain hopes as idle fears.

Fancy, Fears, Hopes, Idle, Vain

In the moral world there is nothing impossible if we can bring a thorough will to it. Man can do everything with himself, but he must not attempt to do too much with others.

Attempt, Everything, Men, Too Much, World

Among men who are really free, every form of industry becomes more rapidly improved - all the arts flourish more gracefully - all the sciences extend their range.

Art, Free, Gracefully, Men, Range, Sciences

All situations in which the interrelationships between extremes are involved are the most interesting and instructive.

Extremes, Instructive, Interesting, Involved, Situation

Absolutely nothing is so important for a nation's culture as its language.

Culture, Important, Language, Nothing

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