Kaspar Lavater Quotes & Sayings

True philosophy is that which renders us to ourselves, and all others who surround us, better, and at the same time more content, more patient, more calm and more ready for all decent and pure enjoyment. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Close thine ear against him that shall open his mouth secretly against another. If thou receivest not his words, they fly back and wound the reporter. If thou dost receive them, they fly forward and wound the receiver. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Superstition always inspires littleness, religion grandeur of mind; the superstitious raises beings inferior to himself to deities. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The immoderate cannot laugh moderately. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The more honesty a man has, the less he affects the air of a saint. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Where there is much pretension, much has been borrowed; nature never pretends. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Learn the value of a man's words and expressions, and you know him. Each man has a measure of his own for everything; this he offers you inadvertently in his words. He who has a superlative for everything wants a measure for the great or small. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The more uniform a man's voice, step, manner of conversation, handwriting
the more quiet, uniform, settled, his actions, his character. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

As a man's salutations, so is the total of his character; in nothing do we lay ourselves so open as in our manner of meeting and salutation. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Decided ends are sure signs of a decided character. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

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

Who has witnessed one free and unconstrained act of yours, has witnessed all. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

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

The generous person is always just, and the just who is always generous may, unannounced, approach the throne of heaven. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

In the society of ladies, want of sense is not so unpardonable as want of manners. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Conscience is wiser than science. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Trust him little who praise all, him less who censures all and him least who is indifferent about all. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

He knows very little of mankind who expects, by any facts or reasoning, to convince a determined party man. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Kiss the hand of him who can renounce what he has publicly taught, when convicted of his error; and who, with heartfelt joy, embraces the truth, though with the sacrifice of favorite opinions. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The loss of taste for what is right is loss of all right taste. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

He who comes from the kitchen, smells of its smoke; and he who adheres to a sect, has something of its cant; the college air pursues the student; and dry inhumanity him who herds with literary pedants. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The acquisition of will, for one thing exclusively, presupposes entire acquaintance with many others. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The proverbial wisdom of the populace in the street, on the roads, and in the markets instructs the ear of him who studies man more fully than a thousand rules ostentatiously displayed. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

He can feel no little wants who is in pursuit of grandeur. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

And still, laughter is akin to weeping. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who trades in contradictions will not be contradicted. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

As you treat your body, so your house, your domestics, your enemies, your friends. Dress is a table of your contents. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The public seldom forgive twice. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Modesty is silent when it would be improper to speak; the humble, without being called upon, never recollects to say anything of himself. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who has a daring eye tell downright truths and downright lies. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Airs of importance are the credentials of impotence. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

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. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Know in the first place, that mankind agree in essence, as they do in limbs and senses. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Say not you know another entirely till you have divided an inheritance with him. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Fools learn nothing from wise men, but wise men learn much from fools. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

All finery is a sign of littleness. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The manner of giving shows the character of the giver, more than the gift itself. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

There are three classes of men; the retrograde, the stationary and the progressive. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

He who always prefaces his tale with laughter, is poised between impertinence and folly. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Avoid the eye that discovers with rapidity the bad, and is slow to see the good. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The wrath that on conviction subsides into mildness, is the wrath of a generous mind. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Those who speak always and those who never speak are equally unfit for friendship. A food proportion of the talent of listening and speaking is the base of social virtues. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Copiousness and simplicity, variety and unity, constitute real greatness of character. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Faces are as legible as books, only with these circumstances to recommend them to our perusal, that they are read in much less time, and are much less likely to deceive us. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

True love, like the eye, can bear no flaw. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

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

Good-humor is always a success. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The proportion of genius to the vulgar is like one to a million. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Wishes run over in loquacious impotence, will presses on with laconic energy. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

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. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

He whose pride oppresses the humble may perhaps be humbled, but will never be humble. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Sensibility is the power of woman. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who gives a trifle meanly is meaner than the trifle. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who cuts is easily wounded. The readier you are to offend the sooner you are offended. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

How few our real wants, and how vast our imaginary ones! — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The ambitious sacrifices all to what he terms honor, as the miser all to money. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Just so far as we are pleased at finding faults, are we displeased at finding perfection. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

A sneer is often the sign of heartless malignity. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Take here the grand secret; if not of pleasing all, yet of displeasing none, and court mediocrity, avoid originality, and sacrifice to fashion. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The discovery of truth, by slow progressive meditation, is wisdom.
Intuition of truth, not preceded by perceptible meditation, is genius. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

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. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

He who, in questions of right, virtue, or duty, sets himself above all ridicule, is truly great, and shall laugh in the end with truer mirth than ever he was laughed at. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who affects useless singularities has surely a little mind. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who is respectable when thinking himself alone and free from observation will be so before the eye of all the world. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Avoid him who from mere curiosity asks three questions running about a thing that cannot interest Him. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Man without religion is a diseased creature, who would persuade himself he is well and needs not a physician; but woman without religion is raging and monstrous. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Thinkers are as scarce as gold. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Vanity and rudeness are seldom seen together. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Softness of smile indicates softness of character. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Be certain that he who has betrayed thee once will betray thee again. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

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

God protects those he loves from worthless reading. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

You can depend on no man, on no friend, but him who can depend on himself. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who makes quick use of the moment is a genius of prudence. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

All affectation is the vain and ridiculous attempt of poverty to appear rich — Johann Kaspar Lavater

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

Who, in the midst of just provocation to anger, instantly finds the fit word which settles all around him in silence is more than wise or just; he is, were he a beggar, of more than royal blood, he is of celestial descent. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The worst of faces still is human. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

What knowledge is there of which man is capable that is not founded on the exterior,
the relation that exists between visible and invisible, the perceptible and the imperceptible? — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who despises all that is despicable is made to be impressed with all that is grand. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The enemy of art is the enemy of nature; art is nothing but the highest sagacity and exertions of human nature; and what nature will he honor who honors not the human? — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Wisdom is the repose of the mind. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

His calumny is not only the greatest benefit a rogue can confer on us, but the only service he will perform for nothing. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The countenance is more eloquent than the tongue. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The freer you feel yourself in the presence of another, the more free is he. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The most stormy ebullitions of passion, from blasphemy to murder, are less terrific than one single act of cool villainy. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Where pride begins, love ceases. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Intuition is the clear conception of the whole at once. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

He who has no taste for order, will be often wrong in his judgment, and seldom considerate or conscientious in his actions. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

He who sedulously attends, pointedly asks, calmly speaks, coolly answers and ceases when he has no more to say is in possession of some of the best requisites of man — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Conscience is the sentinel of virtue. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The true friend of truth and good loves them under all forms, but he loves them most under the most simple form. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Obstinacy is the strength of the weak. Firmness founded upon principle, upon the truth and right, order and law, duty and generosity, is the obstinacy of sages. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

To know yourself you have only to set down a true statement of those that ever loved or hated you. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The craftiest trickery are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The cruelty of the effeminate is more dreadful than that or the hardy. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Neither refinement nor delicacy is indispensable to produce elegance. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Women are proverbially credulous. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

The great rule of moral conduct is next to God, respect time. — Johann Kaspar Lavater

Who knows whence he comes, where he is, and whither he tends, he, and he alone, is wise. — Johann Kaspar Lavater