Who said “He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious,…”?

Disputed

It's credited to Johann Kaspar Lavater, but no reliable source from their lifetime has been found.

What the research foundNo reliable early source found for Johann Kaspar Lavater.

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.”
DisputedNo reliable early source found for Johann Kaspar Lavater. · evidenceWords

Cite this quote

APA

“He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.” [Quotation attributed to Johann Kaspar Lavater]. (n.d.). Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30732-he-who-seldom-speaks-and-with-one-calm/

MLA

“He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.” Attributed to Johann Kaspar Lavater. Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30732-he-who-seldom-speaks-and-with-one-calm/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

“He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.” Attributed to Johann Kaspar Lavater. Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30732-he-who-seldom-speaks-and-with-one-calm/.