344 Quotes by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

Nothing reveals a man’s character better than the kind of joke at which he takes offense.

The construction of the universe is certainly very much easier to explain than is that of the plant.

He swallowed a lot of wisdom, but all of it seems to have gone down the wrong way.

Ideas too are a life and a world.

In every man there is something of all men.

Some people come by the name of genius in the same way that certain insects come by the name of centipede – not because they have a hundred feet, but because most people can’t count above 14.

If people should ever start to do only what is necessary millions would die of hunger.

First there is a time when we believe everything, then for a little while we believe with discrimination, then we believe nothing whatever, and then we believe everything again – and, moreover, give reasons why we believe.

A good metaphor is something even the police should keep an eye on.