Hegel

Not the Hegel of the metaphysical system, but the Hegel of gem-like aphorisms and erudite asides, is the Hegel of genius. Like youth itself, however, he is wasted on the young. Too many of those who read him in their youth are swept up in the romance of his epic philosophical imagination and fail to distinguish logos from mythos. Hegel himself suffered from this form of myopia when it came to his own thinking, but he can be forgiven his lack of objectivity. His disciples, on the other hand, should have exercised greater restraint.