Men still have to be governed by deception.

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Other Georg Christoph Lichtenberg Quotes

We often have need of a profound philosophy to restore to our feelings their original state of innocence, to find our way out of the rubble of things alien to us, to begin to feel for ourselves and to speak ourselves, and I might almost say to exist ourselves. Even if my philosophy does not extend to discovering anything new, it does nevertheless possess the courage to regard as questionable what has long been thought true. - View Quote Details on We often have need of a profound philosophy to restore…
With a pen in my hand I have successfully stormed bulwarks from which others armed with sword and excommunication have been repulsed. - View Quote Details on With a pen in my hand I have successfully stormed…
If it were true what in the end would be gained? Nothing but another truth. Is this such a mighty advantage? We have enough old truths still to digest, and even these we would be quite unable to endure if we did not sometimes flavor them with lies. - View Quote Details on If it were true what in the end would be…
He who is enamored of himself will at least have the advantage of being inconvenienced by few rivals. - View Quote Details on He who is enamored of himself will at least have…
Just as the performance of the vilest and most wicked deeds requires spirit and talent, so even the greatest demand a certain insensitivity which under other circumstances we would call stupidity. - View Quote Details on Just as the performance of the vilest and most wicked…
As the few adepts in such things well know, universal morality is to be found in little everyday penny-events just as much as in great ones. There is so much goodness and ingenuity in a raindrop that an apothecary wouldn’t let it go for less than half-a-crown. - View Quote Details on As the few adepts in such things well know, universal…
When a book and a head collide and a hollow sound is heard, must it always have come from the book? - View Quote Details on When a book and a head collide and a hollow…
Do we write books so that they shall merely be read? Don’t we also write them for employment in the household? For one that is read from start to finish, thousands are leafed through, other thousands lie motionless, others are jammed against mouseholes, thrown at rats, others are stood on, sat on, drummed on, have gingerbread baked on them or are used to light pipes. - View Quote Details on Do we write books so that they shall merely be…
There can hardly be stranger wares in the world than books: printed by people who do not understand them; sold by people who do not understand them; bound, reviewed and read by people who do not understand them; and now even written by people who do not understand them. - View Quote Details on There can hardly be stranger wares in the world than…
Never undertake anything for which you wouldn’t have the courage to ask the blessing of heaven. - View Quote Details on Never undertake anything for which you wouldn’t have the courage…