Who said “The craftiest wiles are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart.”?

Verified

Johann Kaspar Lavater. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceAphorisms on Man (1788)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Aphorisms on Man (1788).

APA

Lavater, J. K. (n.d.). The craftiest wiles are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/12986-the-craftiest-wiles-are-too-short-and-ragged/

MLA

Lavater, Johann Kaspar. “The craftiest wiles are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/12986-the-craftiest-wiles-are-too-short-and-ragged/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Lavater, Johann Kaspar. “The craftiest wiles are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/12986-the-craftiest-wiles-are-too-short-and-ragged/.