Human, All-Too-Human: A Book for Free Spirits, Part 2
Nietzsche · en
MAN PROMISES, WOMAN FULFILS.—By woman Nature shows how far she has
hitherto achieved her task of fashioning humanity, by man she shows what
she has had to overcome and what she still proposes to do for
humanity.—The most perfect woman of every age is the holiday-task of the
Creator on every seventh day of culture, the recreation of the artist from
his work.
275.
TRANSPLANTING.—If we have spent our intellect in order to gain mastery
over the intemperance of the passions, the sad result often follows that
we transfer the intemperance to the intellect, and from that time forth
are extravagant in thought and desire of knowledge.
276.
LAUGHTER AS TREACHERY.—How and when a woman laughs is a sign of her
culture, but in the ring of laughter her nature reveals itself, and in
highly cultured women perhaps even the last insoluble residue of their
nature. Hence the psychologist will say with Horace, though from different
reasons: “Ridete puellae.”
277.
FROM THE YOUTHFUL SOUL.—Youths varyingly show devotion and impudence
towards the same person, because at bottom they only despise or admire
themselves in that other person, and between the two feelings but stagger
to and fro in themselves, so long as they have not found in experience the
measure of their will and ability.
278.
FOR THE AMELIORATION OF THE WORLD.—If we forbade the discontented, the
sullen, and the atrabilious to propagate, we might transform the world
into a garden of happiness.—This aphorism belongs to a practical
philosophy for the female sex.
279.
NOT TO DISTRUST YOUR EMOTIONS.—The feminine phrase “Do not distrust your
emotions” does not mean much more than “Eat what tastes good to you.” This
may also, especially for moderate natures, be a good everyday rule. But
other natures must live according to another maxim: “You must eat not only
with your mouth but also with your brain, in order that the greediness of
your mouth may not prove your undoing.”
280.
A CRUEL FANCY OF LOVE.—Every great love involves the cruel thought of
killing the object of love, so that it may be removed once for all from
the mischievous play of change. For love is more afraid of change than of
destruction.
281.
DOORS.—In everything that is learnt or experienced, the child, just like
the man, sees doors; but for the former they are places to go _to_, for
the latter to go _through_.
282.
SYMPATHETIC WOMEN.—The sympathy of women, which is talkative, takes the
sick-bed to market.
283.
EARLY MERIT.—He who acquires merit early in life tends to forget all
reverence for age and old people, and accordingly, greatly to his
disadvantage, excludes himself from the society of the mature, those who
confer maturity. Thus in spite of his early merit he remains green,
importunate, and boyish longer than others.
284.