No More Learning

161.
To the Admirers of the Age. —The runaway priest
and the liberated criminal are continually making
grimaces; what they want is a look without a past.
—But have you ever seen men who know that their
looks reflect the future, and who are so courteous to
you, the admirers of the "age," that they assume a
look without a future.
162.
Egoism. —Egoism is the perspective law of our
sentiment, according to which the near appears
large and momentous, while in the distance the
magnitude and importance of all things diminish.


## p. 188 (#246) ############################################

188 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
163.
After a Great Victory. —The best thing in a great
victory is that it deprives the conqueror of the fear
of defeat. "Why should I not be worsted for
once? " he says to himself, " I am now rich enough
to stand it. "
164.
Those who Seek Repose. —I recognise the minds
that seek repose by the many dark objects with
which they surround themselves: those who want
to sleep darken their chambers, or creep into
caverns. A hint to those who do not know what
they really seek most, and would like to know!
165.
The Happiness of Renunciation. —He who has
absolutely dispensed with something for a long
time will almost imagine, when he accidentally
meets with it again, that he has discovered it,—and
what happiness every discoverer has! Let us be
wiser than the serpents that lie too long in the
same sunshine.
166.
Always in our own Society. —All that is akin to
me in nature and history speaks to me, praises me,
urges me forward and comforts me—: other things
are unheard by me, or immediately forgotten. We
are only in our own society always.
167.
Misanthropy and Philanthropy. —We only speak
about being sick of men when we can no longer


## p. 189 (#247) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 189
digest them, and yet have the stomach full of
them. Misanthropy is the result of a far too eager
philanthropy and "cannibalism," — but who ever
bade you swallow men like oysters, my Prince
Hamlet?
168.
Concerning an Invalid. —" Things go badly with
him ! "—What is wrong ? —" He suffers from the
longing to be praised, and finds no sustenance for
it. "—Inconceivable! All the world does honour
to him, and he is reverenced not only in deed but
in word! —" Certainly, but he is dull of hearing for
the praise. When a friend praises him it sounds to
him as if the friend praised himself; when an enemy
praises him, it sounds to him as if the enemy wanted
to be praised for it; when, finally, some one else
praises him—there are by no means so many of
these, he is so famous! —he is offended because
they neither want him for a friend nor for an enemy;
he is accustomed to say: 'What do I care for those
who can still pose as the all-righteous towards
me! '"
169.
Avowed Enemies. —Bravery in presence of an
enemy is a thing by itself: a person may possess
it and still be a coward and an irresolute num-
skull. That was Napoleon's opinion concerning
the "bravest man" he knew, Murat:—whence it
follows that avowed enemies are indispensable to
some men, if they are to attain to their virtue, to
their manliness, to their cheerfulness.


## p. 190 (#248) ############################################

190
THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
170.
With the Multitude. He has hitherto gone with
the multitude and is its panegyrist; but one day be
will be its opponent! For he follows it in the
belief that his laziness will find its advantage
thereby: he has not yet learned that the multitude
is not lazy enough for him! that it always presses
forward! that it does not allow any one to stand
still ! -And he likes so well to stand still !
171.
Fame. —When the gratitude of many to one
casts aside all shame, then fame originates.
172.
The Perverter of Taste. -A: “You are a perverter
of taste—they say so everywhere! ” B: “Certainly!
I pervert every one's taste for his party :-no party
forgives me for that. ”
173.
To be Profound and to Appear Profound. —He
who knows that he is profound strives for clearness;
he who would like to appear profound to the multi-
tude strives for obscurity. The multitude thinks
everything profound of which it cannot see the
bottom ; it is so timid and goes so unwillingly into
the water.
174.
Apart. -Parliamentarism, that is to say, the pub-
lic permission to choose between five main political


## p. 191 (#249) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 191
opinions, insinuates itself into the favour of the
numerous class who would fain appear independent
and individual, and like to fight for their opinions.
After all, however, it is a matter of indifference
whether one opinion is imposed upon the herd, or
five opinions are permitted to it. —He who diverges
from the five public opinions and goes apart, has
always the whole herd against him.
175-
Concerning Eloquence. —What has hitherto had
the most convincing eloquence? The rolling of
the drum: and as long as kings have this at their
command, they will always be the best orators and
popular leaders.
176.
Compassion,—The poor, ruling princes! All their
rights now change unexpectedly into claims, and
all these claims immediately sound like preten-
sions! And if they but say " we," or " my people,"
wicked old Europe begins laughing. Verily, a
chief-master-of-ceremonies of the modern world
would make little ceremony with them; perhaps
he would decree that "les souverains rangent aux
parvenus"
177.
On "Educational Matters? —In Germany an
important educational means is lacking for higher
men; namely, the laughter of higher men; these
men do not laugh in Germany.


## p. 192 (#250) ############################################

192 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
I78.
For Moral Enlightenment. —The Germans must
be talked out of their Mephistopheles—and out of
their Faust also. These are two moral prejudices
against the value of knowledge.
179.
Thoughts. —Thoughts are the shadows of our
sentiments — always, however, obscurer, emptier,
and simpler.
180.
The Good Time for Free Spirits. —Free Spirits
take liberties even with regard to Science—and
meanwhile they are allowed to do so,—while the
Church still remains! —In so far they have now
their good time.
181.
Following and Leading. —A: "Of the two, the
one will always follow, the other will always lead,
whatever be the course of their destiny. And yet
the former is superior to the other in virtue and
intellect. " B: "And yet? And yet? That is
spoken for the others; not for me, not for us!
—Fit secundum regulam. "
182.
In Solitude. —When one lives alone one does
not speak too loudly, ar1d one does not write too
loudly either, for one fears the hollow reverberation
—the criticism of the nymph Echo. —And all voices
sound differently in solitude!


## p. 193 (#251) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 193
183.
The Music of the Best Future. —The first musician
for me would be he who knew only the sorrow of
the profoundest happiness, and no other sorrow:
there has not hitherto been such a musician.
184.
Justice. —Better allow oneself to be robbed than
have scarecrows around one—that is my taste.
And under all circumstances it is just a matter
of taste—and nothing more!
185.
Poor. —He is now poor, but not because every-
thing has been taken from him, but because he has
thrown everything away:—what does he care?
He is accustomed to find new things. —It is the
poor who misunderstand his voluntary poverty.
186.
Bad Conscience. —All that he now does is ex-
cellent and proper—and yet he has a bad con-
science with it all. For the exceptional is his task.
187.
Offensiveness in Expression. —This artist offends
me by the way in which he expresses his ideas,
his very excellent ideas: so diffusely and forcibly,
and with such gross rhetorical artifices, as if
he were speaking to the mob. We feel always as
if "in bad company" when devoting some time
to his art.
T3


## p. 194 (#252) ############################################

194 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
188.
Work. —How close work and the workers now
stand even to the most leisurely of us! The
royal courtesy in the words: "We are all workers,"
would have been a cynicism and an indecency
even under Louis XIV.
189.
The Thinker. —He is a thinker: that is to say,
he knows how to take things more simply than
they are.
190.
Against Eulogisers. —A: "One is only praised
by one's equals! " B: "Yes! And he who praises
you says: 'You are my equal! '"
191.
Against many a Vindication. —The most per-
fidious manner of injuring a cause is to vindicate it
intentionally with fallacious arguments.
192.
The Good-natured. —What is it that distinguishes
the good-natured, whose countenances beam kind-
ness, from other people? They feel quite at ease
in presence of a new person, and are quickly
enamoured of him; they therefore wish him well;
their first opinion is: "He pleases me. " With
them there follow in succession the wish to
appropriate (they make little scruple about the
person's worth), rapid appropriation, joy in the
possession, and actions in favour of the person
possessed.



## p. 195 (#253) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 195
193-
Kant's Joke. —Kant tried to prove, in a way that
dismayed "everybody," that "everybody"was in
the right:—that was his secret joke. He wrote
against the learned, in favour of popular prejudice;
he wrote, however, for the learned and not for the
people.
194.
The " Open-hearted" Man. —That man acts prob-
ably always from concealed motives; for he has
always communicable motives on his tongue, and
almost in his open hand.
195.
Laughable ! —See! See! He runs away from
men—: they follow him, however, because he runs
before them,—they are such a gregarious lot!
196.
The Limits of our Sense of Hearing. —We hear
only the questions to which we are capable of finding
an answer.
197.
Caution therefore! —There is nothing we are
fonder of communicating to others than the seal
of secrecy—together with what is under it.
198.
Vexation of the Proud Man. —The proud man is
vexed even with those who help him forward: he
looks angrily at his carriage-horses!


## p. 196 (#254) ############################################

196 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
I
199.
Liberality. —Liberality is often only a form of
timidity in the rich.
200.
Laughing. —To laugh means to love mischief,
but with a good conscience.
201.
In Applause. —In applause there is always some
kind of noise: even in self-applause.
202.
A Spendthrift. —He has not yet the poverty of
the rich man who has counted all his treasure,—he
squanders his spirit with the irrationalness of the
spendthrift Nature.
203.
Hic niger est. —Usually he has no thoughts,—but
in exceptional cases bad thoughts come to him.
204.
Beggars and Courtesy. —" One is not discourteous
when one knocks at a door with a stone when the
bell-pull is awanting"—so think all beggars and
necessitous persons, but no one thinks they are in
the right.
205.
Need. —Need is supposed to be the cause of
things; but in truth it is often only the effect of
the things themselves.


## p. 197 (#255) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 197
206.
During the Rain. —It rains, and I think of the
poor people who now crowd together with their
many cares, which they are unaccustomed to con-
ceal; all of them, therefore, ready and anxious to
give pain to one another, and thus provide them-
selves with a pitiable kind of comfort, even in bad
weather. This, this only, is the poverty of the
poor!
207.
The Envious Man. —That is an envious man—
it is not desirable that he should have children;
he would be envious of them, because he can no
longer be a child.
208.
A Great Man ! —Because a person is "a great
man," we are not authorised to infer that he is a
man.
Perhaps he is only a boy, or a chameleon
of all ages, or a bewitched girl.
209.
A Mode of Asking for Reasons. —There is a mode
of asking for our reasons which not only makes us
forget our best reasons, but also arouses in us a
spite and repugnance against reason generally:—
a very stupefying mode of questioning, and properly
an artifice of tyrannical men!
210.
Moderation in Diligence. —One must not be
anxious to surpass the diligence of one's father—
that would make one ill.


## p. 198 (#256) ############################################

198 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
211.
Secret Enemies. —To be able to keep a secret
enemy—that is a luxury which the morality even
of the highest-minded persons can rarely afford.
212.
Not Letting oneself be Deluded. —His spirit has
bad manners, it is hasty and always stutters with
impatience; so that one would hardly suspect the
deep breathing and the large chest of the soul in
which it resides.
213.
The Way to Happiness. —A sage asked of a fool
the way to happiness. The fool answered without
delay, like one who had been asked the way to the
next town: "Admire yourself, and live on the
street! " "Hold," cried the sage, " you require too
much; it suffices to admire oneself! " The fool
replied: "But how can one constantly admire
without constantly despising? "
214.
Faith Saves. —Virtue gives happiness and a state
of blessedness only to those who have a strong
faith in their virtue:—not, however, to the more
refined souls whose virtue consists of a profound
distrust of themselves and of all virtue. After all,
therefore, it is " faith that saves" here also ! —and
be it well observed, not virtue!


## p. 199 (#257) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 199
215.
The Ideal and the Material. —You have a noble
ideal before your eyes: but are you also such a
noble stone that such a divine image could be
formed out of you? And without that—is not all
your labour barbaric sculpturing? A blasphemy
of your ideal?
216.
Danger in the Voice. —With a very loud voice
a person is almost incapable of reflecting on
subtle matters.
217.
Cause and Effect. —Before the effect one believes
in other causes than after the effect.
218.
My Antipathy. —I do not like those people who,
in order to produce an effect, have to burst like
bombs, and in whose neighbourhood one is always
in danger of suddenly losing one's hearing—or
even something more.
219.
The Object of Punishment. —The object of punish-
ment is to improve him who punishes,—that is the
ultimate appeal of those who justify punishment.
220.
Sacrifice. —The victims think otherwise than the
spectators about sacrifice and sacrificing: but they
have never been allowed to express their opinion.


## p. 200 (#258) ############################################

2CO THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
221.
Consideration. —Fathers and sons are much more
considerate of one another than mothers and
daughters.
222.
Poet and Liar. —The poet sees in the liar his
foster-brother whose milk he has drunk up; the
latter has thus remained wretched, and has not
even attained to a good conscience.
223.
Vicariousness of the Senses. —" We have also eyes
in order to hear with them,"—said an old confessor
who had grown deaf; "and among the blind he
that has the longest ears is king. "
224.
Animal Criticism. —I fear the animals regard
man as a being like themselves, very seriously
endangered by a loss of sound animal understand-
ing ; — they regard him perhaps as the absurd
animal, the laughing animal, the crying animal,
the unfortunate animal.
225.
The Natural. —" Evil has always had the great
effect! And Nature is evil! Let us therefore be
natural! "—so reason secretly the great aspirants
after effect, who are too often counted among great
men.


## p. 201 (#259) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 201
226.
The Distrustful and their Style. —We say the
strongest things simply, provided people are about
us who believe in our strength:—such an environ-
ment educates to "simplicity of style. " The
distrustful, on the other hand, speak emphatically;
they make things emphatic.
227.
Fallacy, Fallacy. — He cannot rule himself;
therefore that woman concludes that it will be
easy to rule him, and throws out her lines to
catch him ;—the poor creature, who in a short
time will be his slave.
228.
Against Mediators. —He who attempts to mediate
between two decided thinkers is rightly called
mediocre: he has not an eye for seeing the unique;
similarising and equalising are signs of weak eyes.
229.
Obstinacy and Loyalty. —Out of obstinacy he
holds fast to a cause of which the questionableness
has become obvious,—he calls that, however, his
"loyalty. "
230.
Lack of Reserve. —His whole nature fails to
convince—that results from the fact that he has
never been reticent about a good action he has
performed.


## p. 202 (#260) ############################################

202 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
231.
The "Plodders"—Persons slow of apprehension
think that slowness forms part of knowledge.
232.
Dreaming. —Either one does not dream at all,
or one dreams in an interesting manner. One
must learn to be awake in the same fashion:—
either not at all, or in an interesting manner.
233-
The most Dangerous Point of View. —What I
now do, or neglect to do, is as important for all
that is to come, as the greatest event of the past:
in this immense perspective of effects all actions
are equally great and small.
234-
Consolatory Words of a Musician. —" Your life
does not sound into people's ears: for them you
live a dumb life, and all refinements of melody,
all fond resolutions in following or leading the
way, are concealed from them. To be sure you do
not parade the thoroughfares with regimental
music,—but these good people have no right to
say on that account that your life is lacking in
music. He that hath ears let him hear. "
235-
Spirit and Character. —Many a one attains his
full height of character, but his spirit is not adapted
to the elevation,—and many a one reversely.
\


## p. 203 (#261) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 203
236.
To Move the Multitude. —Is it not necessary for
him who wants to move the multitude to give a
stage representation of himself? Has he not first
to translate himself into the grotesquely obvious,
and then set forth his whole personality and cause
in that vulgarised and simplified fashion?
237-
The Polite Man. —" He is so polite! "—Yes, he
has always a sop for Cerberus with him, and is
so timid that he takes everybody for Cerberus,
even you and me,—that is his " politeness. "
238.
Without Envy. —He is wholly without envy, but
there is no merit therein: for he wants to conquer
a land which no one has yet possessed and hardly
any one has even seen.
239-
The Joyless Person. —A single joyless person
is enough to make constant displeasure and a
clouded heaven in a household; and it is only
by a miracle that such a person is lacking! —
Happiness is not nearly such a contagious disease;
—how is that?
240.
On the Sea-Shore. —I would not build myself a
house (it is an element of my happiness not to be
a house-owner! ). If I had to do so, however, I
should build it, like many of the Romans, right


## p. 203 (#262) ############################################

202 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
231.
The "Plodders. "—Persons slow of apprehension
think that slowness forms part of knowledge.
232.
Dreaming. —Either one does not dream at all,
or one dreams in an interesting manner. One
must learn to be awake in the same fashion :—
either not at all, or in an interesting manner.
233-
The most Dangerous Point of View. —What I
now do, or neglect to do, is as important for all
that is to come, as the greatest event of the past:
in this immense perspective of effects all actions
are equally great and small.
234-
Consolatory Words of a Musician. —"Your life
does not sound into people's ears: for them you
live a dumb life, and all refinements of melody,
all fond resolutions in following or leading the
way, are concealed from them. To be sure you do
not parade the thoroughfares with regimental
music,—but these good people have no right to
say on that account that your life is lacking in
music. He that hath ears let him hear. "
235.
Spirit and Character. —Many a one attains his
full height of character, but his spirit is not adapted
to the elevation,—and many a one reversely.


## p. 203 (#263) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 203
236.
To Move the Multitude. —Is it not necessary for
him who wants to move the multitude to give a
stage representation of himself? Has he not first
to translate himself into the grotesquely obvious,
and then set forth his whole personality and cause
in that vulgarised and simplified fashion?
237-
The Polite Man. —" He is so polite! "—Yes, he
has always a sop for Cerberus with him, and is
so timid that he takes everybody for Cerberus,
even you and me,—that is his " politeness. "
238.
Without Envy. —He is wholly without envy, but
there is no merit therein: for he wants to conquer
a land which no one has yet possessed and hardly
any one has even seen.
239-
The Joyless Person. —A single joyless person
is enough to make constant displeasure and a
clouded heaven in a household; and it is only
by a miracle that such a person is lacking! —
Happiness is not nearly such a contagious disease;
—how is that?
240.
On the Sea-Shore. —I would not build myself a
house (it is an element of my happiness not to be
a house-owner! ). If I had to do so, however, I
should build it, like many of the Romans, right


## p. 203 (#264) ############################################

202 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
231-
The "Plodders. "—Persons slow of apprehension
think that slowness forms part of knowledge.
232.
Dreaming. —Either one does not dream at all,
or one dreams in an interesting manner. One
must learn to be awake in the same fashion:—
either not at all, or in an interesting manner.
233-
The most Dangerous Point of View. —What I
now do, or neglect to do, is as important for all
tltat is to come, as the greatest event of the past:
in this immense perspective of effects all actions
are equally great and small.
234-
Consolatory Words of a Musician. —"Your life
does not sound into people's ears: for them you
live a dumb life, and all refinements of melody,
all fond resolutions in following or leading the
way, are concealed from them. To be sure you do
not parade the thoroughfares with regimental
music,—but these good people have no right to
say on that account that your life is lacking in
music. He that hath ears let him hear. "
23S.
Spirit and Character. —Many a one attains his
full height of character, but his spirit is not adapted
to the elevation,—and many a one reversely.


## p. 203 (#265) ############################################

THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III 203
236.
To Move the Multitude. —Is it not necessary for
him who wants to move the multitude to give a
stage representation of himself? Has he not first
to translate himself into the grotesquely obvious,
and then set forth his whole personality and cause
in that vulgarised and simplified fashion?
237-
The Polite Man. —" He is so polite! "—Yes, he
has always a sop for Cerberus with him, and is
so timid that he takes everybody for Cerberus,
even you and me,—that is his " politeness. "
238.
Without Envy. —He is wholly without envy, but
there is no merit therein: for he wants to conquer
a land which no one has yet possessed and hardly
any one has even seen.
239-
The Joyless Person. —A single joyless person
is enough to make constant displeasure and a
clouded heaven in a household; and it is only
by a miracle that such a person is lacking! —
Happiness is not nearly such a contagious disease;
—how is that?
240.
On the Sea-Shore. —I would not build myself a
house (it is an element of my happiness not to be
a house-owner! ). If I had to do so, however, I
should build it, like many of the Romans, right


## p. 203 (#266) ############################################

202 THE JOYFUL WISDOM, III
231.
The "Plodders. "—Persons slow of apprehension
think that slowness forms part of knowledge.
232.
Dreaming. —Either one does not dream at all,
or one dreams in an interesting manner. One
must learn to be awake in the same fashion :—
either not at all, or in an interesting manner.
233-
The most Dangerous Point of View. —What I
now do, or neglect to do, is as important for all
that is to come, as the greatest event of the past:
in this immense perspective of effects all actions
are equally great and small.
234-
Consolatory Words of a Musician. —"Your life
does not sound into people's ears: for them you
live a dumb life, and all refinements of melody,
all fond resolutions in following or leading the
way, are concealed from them. To be sure you do
not parade the thoroughfares with regimental
music,—but these good people have no right to
say on that account that your life is lacking in
music. He that hath ears let him hear. "
235.
Spirit and Character. —Many a one attains his
full height of character, but his spirit is not adapted
to the elevation,—and many a one reversely.