Quotes by Johann Kaspar Lavater

“Never tell evil of a man, if you do not know it for certainty, and if you know it for a certainty, then ask yourself, 'Why should I tell it?'”

“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.”

“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 ...”

“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.”

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

“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.”