One can be instructed in society, one is inspired only in solitude.

The saying contrasts two kinds of human formation: what we learn from others versus what arises from within. “Society” can teach manners, knowledge, and practical wisdom through conversation, example, and correction—an education shaped by external standards. “Solitude,” by contrast, is presented as the condition for genuine inspiration: the inward quiet in which imagination, moral insight, or artistic vision can emerge without social pressure or imitation. The aphorism reflects a Romantic-era valuation of interiority and creative autonomy, while still acknowledging the real benefits of social life. It suggests a balanced ideal: cultivate yourself among people, but retreat alone to create and to hear your own mind.