Friedrich_Nietzsche - Untimely_Meditations_(Cambridge_Texts_in_the_History_of_Philosophy__1997)

Schopenhauer as educatoragitation; not a single adherent of any note appeared. It makes us sadto see him hunting fo r the slightest sign that he was not utterlyunknown; and his loud, too loud, triumphing when he did finallyacquire readers ( , legor et legar')* ha something painfully moving in it.All the traits he exhibits that are riot those of the great philosopherare those of the suffering human being fearful for the safety of hisnoblest possessions; thus he is tonnented by fear of losing his modestincome and then perhaps being unable still to maintain his pure andtruly antique attitude towards philosophy; thus he often failed in hismany attempts to establish firm and sympathetic friendships andwas repeatedly obliged to return with a downcast eye to his faithfuldog. He was a total solitary; he had not a single companion truly ofhis own kind to console him - and between one and none there lies,as always between something and nothing, an infinity. No one whopossesses true friends knows what true solitude is, even though hehave the whole world around him for his enemies. - Ah, I wellunderstand that you do not know what solitude is. Where there havebeen powerful societies, governments, religions, public opinions, inshort wherever there has been tyranny, there the solitary philosopherhas been hated; for philosophy offers an asylum to a man into whichno tyranny can force its way, the inward cave, the labyrinth of theheart: and that annoys the tyrants. There the solitaries conceal themselves:but there too lurks their greatest danger. These people whohave fled inward for their freedom also have to live outwardly,become visible, let themselves be seen; they are united with mankindthrough countless ties of blood, residence, education,fatherland, chance, the importunity of others; they are likewise presupposedto harbour countless opinions simply because these arethe ruling opinions of the time; every gesture which is not clearly adenial counts as agreement; every motion of the hand that does notdestroy is interpreted as approval. They know, these solitaries, freein spirit, that they continually seem other than what they think: whilethey desire nothing but truth and honesty, they are encompassed bya net of misunderstandings; and however vehemently they maydesire, they cannot prevent a cloud of false opinions, approximations,half-admissions, indulgent silence, erroneous interpretationfrom gathering about their actions. Because of this a cloud ofmelancholy gathers on their brows; for such as these it is more hateful than death itself to be forced to present a semblance to the world;""legor el Legar: I am read, I shall be read139