Quotes from 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.

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

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.

A sneer is often the sign of heartless malignity.

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

Airs of importance are the credentials of impotence.

Be not the fourth friend of him who had three before and lost them.

Beware of him who hates the laugh of a child.

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?

Have you ever seen a pedant with a warm heart?

He can feel no little wants who is in pursuit of grandeur.

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

There are many kinds of smiles, each having a distinct character. Some announce goodness, and sweetness, others betray sarcasm, bitterness, and pride; some soften the countenance by their languishing tenderness, others brighten by their spiritual vivacity.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it; nor at any time in the extremes of it.

Vanity and rudeness are seldom seen together.

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