Kulturphilosophie (1923), Vol. 2 : Civilization and Ethics
Context: The way to true mysticism leads up through rational thought to deep experience of the world and of our will-to-live. We must all venture once more to be "thinkers," so as to reach mysticism, which is the only direct and the only profound world-view. We must all wander in the field of knowledge to the point where knowledge passes over into experience of the world. We must all, through thought, become religious.
This rational thought must become the prevailing force among us, for all the valuable ideas that we need develop out of it. In no other fire than that of the mysticism of reverence for life can the broken sword of idealism be forged anew.
“Writers are forged in injustice as a sword is forged.”
Part II, Ch. 2
Sentence in bold quoted by Ralph Ellison in the opening paragraph of his autobiographical essay "Hidden Name and Complex Fate" (1964).
Green Hills of Africa (1935)
Context: Dostoevsky was made by being sent to Siberia. Writers are forged in injustice as a sword is forged.
On the Completion of the Bunker Hill Monument (1843)
Context: Spain stooped on South America, like a vulture on its prey. Every thing was force. Territories were acquired by fire and sword. Cities were destroyed by fire and sword. Hundreds of thousands of human beings fell by fire and sword. Even conversion to Christianity was attempted by fire and sword.
Symbol 9
Variant translation: Poke not the fire with a sword.
As quoted in Short Sayings of Great Men: With Historical and Explanatory Notes (1882) by Samuel Arthur Bent, p. 455
The Symbols
“My poems please the brave:
My poems, short and sincere,
Have the force of steel
Which forges swords.”
Source: Simple Verses (1891), V
“Junk does that. Junk is a forge. You enter the fire and come out twisted.”
Source: Summer of Love (1994), Chapter 15 “Over Under Sideways Down” (p. 329)
“The false mystic, unfortunately, can delude both others and himself.”
Deception
One Minute Wisdom (1989)
Context: The feigning sleeper can delude others — he cannot delude himself. The false mystic, unfortunately, can delude both others and himself.
