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 More Quotes by Johann Kaspar Lavater More Quotes From Johann Kaspar Lavater He who always seeks more light the more he finds, and finds more the more he seeks, is one of the few happy mortals who take and give in every point of time. The tide and ebb of giving and receiving is the sum of human happiness, which he alone enjoys who always wishes to acquire new knowledge, and always finds it. Johann Kaspar Lavater lightwishgiving The obstinacy of the indolent and weak is less conquerable than that of the fiery and bold. Johann Kaspar Lavater fieryobstinacyweak 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 generositylaworder He surely is most in need of another's patience, who has none of his own. Johann Kaspar Lavater patienceneeds He has oratory who ravishes his hearers while he forgets himself. Johann Kaspar Lavater forget-himoratoryforget As your enemies and your friends, so are you Johann Kaspar Lavater characterenemy The countenance is more eloquent than the tongue. Johann Kaspar Lavater eloquenttonguefaces Too much gravity argues a shallow mind. Johann Kaspar Lavater too-muchmindarguing There is no mortal truly wise and restless at once; wisdom is the repose of minds. Johann Kaspar Lavater restlesswisemind The worst of all knaves are those who can mimic their former honesty. Johann Kaspar Lavater knavesknaveryhonesty Sensibility is the power of woman. Johann Kaspar Lavater sensibilitywomen The greatest of characters, no doubt, would be he, who, free of all trifling accidental helps, could see objects through one grand immutable medium, always at hand, and proof against illusion and time, reflecting every object in its true shape and colour through all the fluctuation of things. Johann Kaspar Lavater truthcharacterhands The miser robs himself. Johann Kaspar Lavater misers 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 physiciansmenreligion He whom common, gross, or stale objects allure, and when obtained, content, is a vulgar being, incapable of greatness in thought or action. Johann Kaspar Lavater greatnessactioncommon The mingled incentives which lead to action are often too subtle and lie too deep for us to analyze. Johann Kaspar Lavater incentivesactionlying Truth, wisdom, love, seek reasons; malice only seeks causes. Johann Kaspar Lavater love-wisdomcausesreason Half talent is no talent. Johann Kaspar Lavater mediocritytalenthalf 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 humblewould-besay-anything 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 calmpatientphilosophy
