Johann Kaspar Lavater

Intuition is the clear conception of the whole at once.

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.

Who has a daring eye tell downright truths and downright lies.

The craftiest trickery are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart.

The policy of adapting one's self to circumstances makes all ways smooth.

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.

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

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?

Dont speak evil of someone if you dont know for certain and if you do know ask yourself why am I telling it

You are not very good if you are not better than your best friends imagine you to be.

Existence is self enjoyment by means of some object distinct from ourselves.

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

Who makes quick use of the moment is a genius of prudence.

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.

Who gives a trifle meanly is meaner than the trifle.

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

He who is passionate and hasty is generally honest. It is your cool dissembling hypocrite of whom you should beware.

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

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

You may depend upon it that he is a good man whose intimate friends are all good, and whose enemies are decidedly bad.

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

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

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

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.

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

There are no friends more inseparable than pride and hardness of heart, humility and love, falsehood and impudence.

Softness of smile indicates softness of character.

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

Stubbornness is the strength of the weak.

Conscience is the sentinel of virtue.

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

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.

A beautiful smile is to the female countenance what the sunbeam is to the landscape it embellishes an inferior face and redeems an ugly one.

As a mans salutations so is the total of his character in nothing do we lay ourselves so open as in our manner of meeting and salutation.

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

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

Airs of importance are the credentials of impotence.

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

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.

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

He who purposely cheats his friend would cheat his God.

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 public seldom forgive twice.

Have you ever seen a pedant with a warm heart?

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

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.