Question about fascinating insightful adage coined by Ludwig Boerne and originally expressed in German

Fri Feb 8 17:28:15 UTC 2013

Perhaps ADS denizens will be able to help with a question about a
maxim that, apparently, was originally expressed in German. I have
been asked about the following:

Getting rid of a delusion makes one wiser than getting hold of a truth.

Ludwig Börne is the most likely originator of this statement. I think.
Further below is a link into a German book published in 1840. I would
like to understand more about the original context of this saying.
Hence, a translation of the text surrounding the statement would be
enormously helpful.

First, here is an 1893 citation presenting a German version of the
adage and two different translations into English. The German font may
be scrambled during the labyrinthine transit through the mailing list
email gateway. Sorry.

[ref] 1893, Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English
and Foreign Sources by Rev. James Wood, Quote Page 79 and 342, Column
1, Frederick Warne and Co., London and New York. (Google Books full
view) link [/ref]

http://books.google.com/books?id=V-4-AAAAYAAJ&q=%22delusion+makes%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
Parting with a delusion makes one wiser than falling in with a truth. Börne
[End excerpt]

[Begin excerpt]
Einen Wahn verlieren macht weiser als eine Wahrheit finden--Getting
rid of a delusion makes us wiser than getting hold of a truth. Börne.
[End excerpt]

Below is a link into an 1840 book written in German that includes the
adage, I think. Could you tell me what the surrounding text says?

[ref] 1840, Gesammelte Schriften von Ludwig Börne, Volume 6: Fragmente
und Aphorismen, (In German), (Collected Writings of Ludwig Boerne,
Volume 6: Fragments and Aphorisms), Quote Page 11, Hoffmann und Campe,
Hamburg, Germany. [/ref]

http://books.google.com/books?id=EfJIAAAAcAAJ&q=%22eine+Wahrheit%22#v=snippet&
Short link:   http://bit.ly/Wz2jJY

Yes, this is somewhat off topic for the ADS list, but the adage has
entered the English language, and it is used by Americans. That is my
weak rationale justifying the posting of this inquiry.

Thanks for any help you can provide,

Garson

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