Johann Kaspar Lavater Quotes

Have you ever seen a pedant with a warm heart?

"About Fuseli: "...the most original genius I know. Nothing but energy, profusion and calm! The wildness of the warrior — and the feeling of supreme sublimity! … His spirits are storm wind, his ministers flames of fire! He goes upon the wings of the wind. His laughter is the mockery of hell and his love — a deadly lightning-flash.

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

Happy the heart to whom God has given enough strength and courage to suffer for Him, to find happiness in simplicity and the happiness of others.

Make this poor self grow less and less, Be Thou my life and aim ; Oh, make me daily, through Thy grace, More worthy of Thy name.

Let none turn over books, or roam the stars in quest of God, who sees him not in man.

Trust him little who praises all, him less who censures all, and him least of all who is indifferent about all.

Who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius among those who study nature.

Mistrust the man who finds everything good; the man who find everything evil; and more the man who is indifferent to everything.

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.

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?'

He who makes too much or too little of himself has a false measure for everything.

The public seldom forgive twice.

There are but three classes of men — the retrograde, the stationary, the progressive.

Superstition always inspires littleness, religion grandeur of mind: the superstitious raises beings inferior to himself to deities.