German scientist & satirist (1742-1799)
The noble simplicity in the works of nature only too often originates in the noble shortsightedness of him who observes it.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook H", Aphorisms
It is almost everywhere the case that soon after it is begotten the greater part of human wisdom is laid to rest in repositories.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook K", Aphorisms
The most dangerous untruths are truths moderately distorted.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook H", Aphorisms
Nothing makes one old so quickly as the ever-present thought that one is growing older.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook K", Aphorisms
Knowledge acquired too rapidly and without being personally supplemented is never very productive.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
The Reflections of Lichtenberg
It is a dangerous thing for the perfecting of our minds to gain applause by works that do not call forth the whole of our energies; for in that case one generally comes to a standstill.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
The Reflections of Lichtenberg
Body and soul: a horse harnessed beside an ox.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook D", Aphorisms
The human tendency to regard little things as important has produced very many great things.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook G", Aphorisms
The common individual always conforms to the prevailing opinion and the prevailing fashion; he regards the state in which everything now exists as the only possible one and passively accepts it all.... To the genius it always occurs to ask: Could this too not be false?
GEORG LICHTENBERG
The Waste Books
It is we who are the measure of what is strange and miraculous: if we sought a universal measure the strange and miraculous would not occur and all things would be equal.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook A", Aphorisms
Before one blames, one should always find out whether one cannot excuse.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook K", Aphorisms
Whenever he was required to use his reason he felt like someone who had always used his right hand but was now required to do something with his left.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook B", The Waste Books
We judge nothing so hastily as character, and yet there is nothing over which we should be more cautious.... I have always found that the so-called bad people improve on closer acquaintance, while the good fall off.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
The Reflections of Lichtenberg
The rules of grammar are mere human statutes, which is why when he speaks out of the possessed the Devil himself speaks bad Latin.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
The Waste Books
The most successful tempters and thus the most dangerous are the deluded deluders.
G. C. LICHTENBERG
Aphorisms
Propositions on which all men are in agreement are true: if they are not true we have no truth at all.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
The Waste Books
To live when you do not want to is dreadful, but it would be even more terrible to be immortal when you did not want to be. As things are, however, the whole ghastly burden is suspended from me by a thread which I can cut in two with a penny-knife.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
The Waste Books
Much reading has brought upon us a learned barbarism.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook F", Aphorisms
If an angel were ever to tell us anything of his philosophy I believe many propositions would sound like 2 times 2 equals 13.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
"Notebook B", Aphorisms
Never trust a man who lays his hand on his heart when he assures you of anything.
GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG
The Reflections of Lichtenberg