How did mankind ever come by the idea of liberty? What a grand thought it was! Georg C. Lichtenberg More Quotes by Georg C. Lichtenberg More Quotes From Georg C. Lichtenberg As soon as you know a man to be blind, you imagine that you can see it from his back. Georg C. Lichtenberg imagine blind men The ordinary man is ruined by the flesh lusting against the spirit; the scholar by the spirit lusting too much against the flesh. Georg C. Lichtenberg lust ordinary men To make a vow is a greater sin than to break one. Georg C. Lichtenberg vow sin break Those who have racked their brains to discover new proofs have perhaps been induced to do so by a compulsion they could not quite explain to themselves. Instead of giving us their new proofs they should have explained to us the motivation that constrained them to search for them. Georg C. Lichtenberg motivation should-have giving Do not judge God's world from your own. Trim your own hedge as you wish and plant your flowers in the patterns you can understand, but do not judge the garden of nature from your little window box. Georg C. Lichtenberg garden flower judging People nowadays have such high hopes of America and the political conditions obtaining there that one might say the desires, at least the secret desires, of all enlightened Europeans are deflected to the west, like our magnetic needles. Georg C. Lichtenberg political america people There are people who believe everything is sane and sensible that is done with a solemn face. ... It is no great art to say something briefly when, like Tacitus, one has something to say; when one has nothing to say, however, and none the less writes a whole book and makes truth ... into a liar - that I call an achievement. Georg C. Lichtenberg liars believe art Before one blames, one should always find out whether one cannot excuse. To discover little faults has been always the particularity of such brains that are a little or not at all above the average. The superior ones keep quiet or say something against the whole and the great minds transform without blaming. Georg C. Lichtenberg mind brain average It is certainly not a matter of indifference whether I learn something without effort or finally arrive at it myself through my system of thought. In the latter case everything has roots, in the former it is merely superficial. Georg C. Lichtenberg effort roots matter If countries were named after the words you first hear when you go there, England would have to be called Damn It. Georg C. Lichtenberg england country firsts Barbaric accuracy - whimpering humility. Georg C. Lichtenberg accuracy capitalism humility Cultivate that kind of knowledge which enables us to discover for ourselves in case of need that which others have to read or be told of. Georg C. Lichtenberg cases kind needs Popular presentation today is all too often that which puts the mob in a position to talk about something without understanding it. Georg C. Lichtenberg position understanding today Most men of education are more superstitious than they admit - nay, than they think. Georg C. Lichtenberg education men thinking There are two ways of extending life: firstly by moving the two points "born" and "died" farther away from one another. The other method is to go more slowly and leave the two points wherever God wills they should be, and this method is for the philosophers. Georg C. Lichtenberg two way moving The motives that lead us to do anything might be arranged like the thirty-two winds and might be given names on the same pattern: for instance, "bread-bread-fame" or "fame-fame-bread." Georg C. Lichtenberg names wind two He who knows himself properly can very soon learn to know all other men. It is all reflection. Georg C. Lichtenberg reflection knows men Courage, garrulousness and the mob are on our side. What more do we want? Georg C. Lichtenberg sides want The course of the seasons is a piece of clockwork, with a cuckoo to call when it is spring. Georg C. Lichtenberg cuckoos pieces spring A man has virtues enough if he deserves pardon for his faults on account of them. Georg C. Lichtenberg faults virtue men
