Publisher's Synopsis
Goethe describes his own philosophy as the philosophy of action. He believed in impulse, in inspiration, in action, rather than in reflexion, analysis and logic. 'Reflect not!' he makes Iphigenie exclaim-'Reflect not! Grant freely, as thou feel'st!' And in one of his Epigrams he says: Yes, that's the right way, When we cannot say How we think. True thought Comes as a gift, unsought. Such theory of inspiration is thoroughly Greek, reminding one of Plato's 'muse-inspired madman' and of what Sophocles is related to have said to Aeschylus; 'Thou, Aeschylus, always dost the right thing-but unconsciously (???? ??? e?d?? ?e).' Thus it was also with Goethe.
