E. T. A. Hoffmann Quotes

E. T. A. Hoffmann — Critic born on January 24, 1776, died on June 25, 1822

Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, who was born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann, was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist. His stories form the basis of Jacques Offenbach's famous opera The Tales of Hoffmann, in which Hoffmann appears as the hero. He is also the author of the novella The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, on which the famous ballet The Nutcracker is based. The ballet Coppélia is based on two other stories that Hoffmann wrote, while Schumann's Kreisleriana is based on Hoffmann's character Johannes Kreisler... (wikipedia)

Once you are dancing with the devil, the prettiest capers won't help you.

How prone poor Humanity is to dam up the minutest remnants of its freedom, and build an artificial roof to prevent it looking up to the clear blue sky.

Not a single man on earth knows from his own experience the how and where of his birth, only from tradition, which is often very uncertain.

It is nearly always the most improbable things that really come to pass.

Boys should not play with weapons more dangerous than they understand.