Johann Kaspar Lavater
198 quotes
Biography
"Neatness begets order; but from order to taste there is the same difference as from taste to genius, or from love to friendship."
"Who in the same given time can produce more than others has vigor; who can produce more and better, has talents; who can produce what none else can, has genius."
"All affectation is the vain and ridiculous attempt of poverty to appear rich."
"You may tell a man, thou art a fiend, but not, your nose wants blowing. To him alone who can bear a thing of that kind, you may tell all."
"The discovery of truth by slow progressive meditation is wisdom. Intuition of truth, not preceded by perceptible meditation, is genius."
"Who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius among those who study nature."
"Say not you know another entirely, till you have divided an inheritance with him."
"I am prejudiced in favour of him who can solicit boldly, without imprudence. He has faith in humanity — he has faith in himself. No one who is not accustomed to give grandly can ask nobly and with boldness."
"Too much gravity argues a shallow mind."
"He who makes too much or too little of himself has a false measure for everything."
"He who has no taste for order will be often wrong in his judgements, and seldom considerate or conscientious in his actions."
"The more honesty a man has, the less he affects the air of a saint — the affectation of sanctity is a blotch on the face of piety."
"The craftiest wiles are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart."
"Have you ever seen a pedant with a warm heart?"
"If you see one cold and vehement at the same time, set him down for a fanatic."
"He who, when called upon to speak a disagreeable truth, tells it boldly and has done, is both bolder and milder than he who nibbles in a low voice, and never ceases nibbling."
"Superstition always inspires littleness, religion grandeur of mind: the superstitious raises beings inferior to himself to deities."
"The jealous is possessed by a "fine mad devil" and a dull spirit at once."
"Good may be done by the bad — but the good alone can be good."
"There are but three classes of men — the retrograde, the stationary, the progressive."
"The prudent sees only the difficulties, the bold only the advantages, of a great enterprise; the hero sees both, diminishes those, makes these preponderate, and conquers."
"Let none turn over books, or roam the stars in quest of God, who sees him not in man."
"Trust not him with your secrets, who, when left alone in your room, turns over your papers."
"A woman whose ruling passion is not vanity, is superior to any man of equal faculties."
"Trust him little who praises all, him less who censures all, and him least of all who is indifferent about all."