# famed Goethe quote

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famed-goethe-quote/211012>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 2, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famed-goethe-quote/211012 "2003-11-02T18:15:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famed-goethe-quote/211012/1 "2003-11-02T18:15:02Z")

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“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least” -Goethe

Many places say Gertie said this, but where do they find this? In other words, what’s the full citation? Or is it dubious?

Thanks. :dubious:

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famed-goethe-quote/211012/2 "2003-11-02T18:41:36Z")

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Questions relating to literature belong in Cafe Society.

I’ll move this for you.

- **xash**  
General Questions Moderator

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**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famed-goethe-quote/211012/3 "2003-11-02T19:55:30Z")

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Thanks. I think. It’s a specific question, not an opinion or art discussion question, however. Are you sure it doesn’t belong in GQ?

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**Author:** ![rkts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@rkts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rkts)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famed-goethe-quote/211012/4 "2003-11-02T22:17:40Z")

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I wouldn’t be surprised if it were spurious. Quite often I’ve seen statements attributed to people that I am almost certain did not say them, though often the statements will agree with the person’s ideas. It is not difficult to imagine how it starts:

PROFESSOR: “Goethe said that the things which matter most must never be at the mercy of the things which matter least.”  
Student scribbles down, “‘Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.’ - Goethe.”

Anyway, you might try [this odd site](http://www.theonewolf.com). I searched it briefly with Google and couldn’t find anything, but maybe you can. Good luck.