551-553
Fruits of Solitude (1682), Part I
Context: Did we believe a final Reckoning and Judgment; or did we think enough of what we do believe, we would allow more Love in Religion than we do; since Religion it self is nothing else but Love to God and Man. He that lives in Love lives in God, says the Beloved Disciple: And to be sure a Man can live no where better. It is most reasonable Men should value that Benefit, which is most durable. Now Tongues shall cease, and Prophecy fail, and Faith shall be consummated in Sight, and Hope in Enjoyment; but Love remains.
“If all else fails, the character of a man can be recognized by nothing so surely as by a jest which he takes badly.”
K 46
Variant translation: A person reveals his character by nothing so clearly as the joke he resents.
Aphorisms (1765-1799), Notebook K (1789-1793)
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Georg Christoph Lichtenberg 137
German scientist, satirist 1742–1799Related quotes
“A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.”
Variant: You can get discouraged many times, but you are not a failure until you begin to blame somebody else and stop trying.
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Source: The Root of the Righteous (1955), p. 116.
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Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 607.