Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Quotes
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing was a German Enlightenment philosopher, dramatist, and critic and one of the most important figures in the development of modern German letters. As dramaturge at the Hamburg National Theatre he reshaped German drama, and his close friendship with Moses Mendelssohn produced an enduring partnership of Jewish and Christian Enlightenment thought. The quotes below are attributed to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, organized by topic.
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing on God
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Attributed to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing:
“No one of us is required to be the judge of any other, in matters of religion.”
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing on Knowledge
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Attributed to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing:
“Education is to man what mould is to bricks; it forms the shape of the soul.”
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Attributed to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing:
“Read the most ancient books with the same care that you would the most modern.”
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing on Love
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Attributed to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing:
“Let each of us strive to display impartial love.”
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing on Truth
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Attributed to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing:
“If God held all truth in his right hand and in his left only the steady and diligent striving for truth, I would humbly choose the left hand.”