Johann Kaspar Lavater's Quotes

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.

I am prejudiced in favor of him who, without impudence, can ask boldly. He has faith in humanity, and faith in himself. No one who is not accustomed to giving grandly can ask nobly and with boldness.

The prudent see only the difficulties, the bold only the advantages, of a great enterprise; the hero sees both; diminishes the former and makes the latter preponderate, and so conquers.

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.

The jealous are possessed by a mad devil and a dull spirit at the same time.

Mistrust the person who finds everything good, and the person who finds everything evil, and mistrust even more the person who is indifferent to everything.

Don't speak evil of someone if you don't know for certain, and if you do know ask yourself, why am I telling it?

Trust him not with your secrets, who, when left alone in your room, turns over your papers.

Depend on no man, on no friend but him who can depend on himself. He only who acts conscientiously toward himself, will act so toward others.

Action, looks, words, steps, form the alphabet by which you may spell character.

He submits to be seen through a microscope, who suffers himself to be caught in a fit of passion.

Intuition is the clear conception of the whole at once.

Never say you know a man until you have divided an inheritance with him.

He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.

He, who cannot forgive a trespass of malice to his enemy, has never yet tasted the most sublime enjoyment of love.

There are three classes of men; the retrograde, the stationary and the progressive.

Conscience is the sentinel of virtue.

Have you ever seen a pedant with a warm heart?

Him, who incessantly laughs in the street, you may commonly hear grumbling in his closet.

If you see one cold and vehement at the same time, set him down for a fanatic.

If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you know already.

Neatness begets order; but from order to taste there is the same difference as from taste to genius, or from love to friendship.

Say not you know another entirely till you have divided an inheritance with him.

The great rule of moral conduct is next to God, respect time.

The public seldom forgive twice.

What do I owe to my times, to my country, to my neighbors, to my friends? Such are the questions which a virtuous man ought often to ask himself.