Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes
What by a straight path cannot be reached by crooked ways is never won.
von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. Torquato Tasso. Translated by Anna Swanwick, George Bell and Sons, 1888.
See {640733} for an English political leader’s similar view.
This is one of the proverbs of King Solomon of the Jews, son of King David.
In his view, the ethical ideal could, but need not be a religion, but could include idealistic aspects of secular humanism or political ideal.
1st Earl of Beaconsfield
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835-1910. From the point of view of the person or company that bribes or gives campaign contributions to legislators, there has often been a problem that when the heat is on the legislator might begin to refrain from voting as was expected. Twain was joking in this quotation by using the world “morality” to describe the obligation of the legislator to vote for the interest of the briber or campaign contributor. However, there were several major businessmen who actually saw the bribed legislator as having a moral and ethical duty to continue to protect the interest of the briber.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist. His works include: four novels; epic and lyric poetry; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; and treatises on botany, anatomy, and colour. He is considered to be the greatest German literary figure of the modern era.
