Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) was a Swiss theologian, philosopher, and poet. He founded physiognomy, which attempted to systematize how moral and intellectual character of a person can be distinguished by reading people’s facial features.
Born in Zürich, Lavater took Protestant orders in 1769. He became known by a volume of poems, Schweizerlieder (1767, ‘Swiss Songs,’) and his Aussichten in die Ewigkeit (1768–78, ‘Prospects of Eternity’) is characterized by religious enthusiasm and mysticism.
Lavater’s attempt to elevate physiognomy into science is his Physiognomische Fragmente (1775–78; ‘Essays on Physiognomy,’ 5 vols., 1789–98.) Physiognomy evolved into phrenology in the 19th century.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Johann Kaspar Lavater
Trust him not with your secrets, who, when left alone in your room, turns over your papers.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Secrecy, Secrets, Trust
The horse-laugh indicates coarseness or brutality of character.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Laughter
The generous who is always just, and the just who is always generous, may, unannounced, approach the throne of heaven.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Generosity, Heaven
Learn the value of a man’s words and expressions, and you know him. Each man has a measure of his own for everything; this he offers you inadvertently in his words. He who has a superlative for everything wants a measure for the great or small.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Words
I know no friends more faithful and more inseparable than hard-heartedness and pride, humility and love, lies and impudence.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Vice
Superstition always inspires bitterness; religion, grandeur of mind.—The superstitious man raises beings inferior to himself to deities.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Superstition
Trust him little who praises all, him less who censures all, and him least who is indifferent about all.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Confidence, Trust, Praise
The procrastinator is not only indolent and weak but commonly false too; most of the weak are false.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Delay
He who sedulously attends, pointedly asks, calmly speaks, coolly answers, and ceases when he has no more to say, is in possession of some of the best requisites of conversation.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Conversation
A fop of fashion is the mercer’s friend, the tailor’s fool, and his own foe.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Fashion
Humility and love are the essence of true religion; the humble formed to adore; the loving to associate with eternal love.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Humility
Evasions are the common shelter of the hard-hearted, the false, and the impotent when called upon to assist; the real great, alone plan instantaneous help, even when their looks or words presage difficulties.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
The manner of giving shows the character of the giver, more than the gift itself.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Gifts
The public seldom forgive twice.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Public
A disagreeable smile distorts the lines of beauty, and is more repulsive than a frown.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Smiles
He that hath no friend, and no enemy, is one of the vulgar; and without talents, powers, or energy.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Friendship
Let none turn over books, or roam the stars in quest of God, who sees him not in man.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: God, Religion
Sensibility is the power of woman.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Three days of uninterrupted company in a vehicle will make you better acquainted with another, than one hour’s conversation with him every day for three years.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
The creditor whose appearance gladdens the heart of a debtor may hold his head in sunbeams, and his foot on storms.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Vanity and rudeness are seldom seen together.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Vanity
He who observes the speaker more than the sound of his words, will seldom meet with disappointments.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
He who attempts to make others believe in means which he himself despises, is a puffer; he who makes use of more means than he knows to be necessary, is a quack; and he who ascribes to those means a greater efficacy than his own experience warrants, is an imposter.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Affectation lights a candle to our defects, and though it may gratify ourselves, it disgusts all others
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Affectation
Cowards cannot see that their greatest safety lies in dauntless courage.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Courage, Cowardice
Have I done aught of value to my fellow-men?. Then have I done much for myself
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Usefullness
The great rule of moral conduct is, next to God, to respect time.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Time, Morality, Time Management, Morals, Value of a Day
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.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Sincerity, Candor
He who, silent, loves to be with us—he who loves us in our silence—has touched one of the keys that ravish hearts.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Silence, Love
True philosophy is that which makes us to ourselves and to all about us, better; and at the same time, more content, patient, calm, and more ready for all decent and pure enjoyment.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Philosophy
She neglects her heart who studies her glass.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Vanity
Act well at the moment, and you have performed a good action to all eternity.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Time Management, Value of Time, Time, Action
He who can conceal his joys is greater than he who can hide his griefs.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Joy, Grief
Beware of him who hates the laugh of a child.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Laughter
He alone is an acute observer, who can observe minutely without being observed.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Observation
He surely is most in need of another’s patience, who has none of his own.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Patience
Injustice arises either from precipitation, or indolence, or from a mixture of both.—The rapid and slow are seldom just; the unjust wait either not at all, or wait too long.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Just as you are pleased at finding faults, you are displeased at finding perfections.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Faults
Trust him with little, who, without proofs, trusts you with everything, or when he has proved you, with nothing.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
Topics: Confidence
The more honesty a man has, the less he affects the air of a saint.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater
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