Him, who incessantly laughs in the street, you may commonly hear grumbling in his closet.
Interpretation
People who appear joyful in public may secretly harbor dissatisfaction or sadness in private.
This quote by Johann Kaspar Lavater suggests that outward appearances can often be misleading. It implies that an individual who expresses happiness or laughter in social settings may actually be dealing with internal struggles or negativity when alone, highlighting the complexities of human emotions and the masks we wear in society.
In practice
In a discussion about mental health awareness, you might use this quote to illustrate how people can hide their true feelings.
There are many kinds of smiles, each having a distinct character. Some announce goodness and sweetness, others betray sarcasm, bitterness and pride; some soften the countenance by their languishing tenderness, others brighten by their spiritual vivacity.
If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you already know.
He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.
Where pride begins, love ceases.
Who in the same given time can produce more than others has vigor; who can produce more and better, has talents; who can produce what none else can, has genius.
When you doubt between words, use the plainest, the commonest, the most idiomatic. Eschew fine words as you would rouge; love simple ones as you would the native roses on your cheek.
You can make fun with Saddam Hussein jokes ... but you can't make fun of, say, the concentration camps. I think my target was not so much evil, but benign stupidity people doing stupid things without realising or, instead, thinking they were doing good.
One should take good care not to grow too wise for so great a pleasure of life as laughter.
It would take more than long-stemmed roses to change my view that you're a despicable cowardy custard and a disgrace to a proud family. Your ancestors fought in the Crusades and were often mentioned in despatches, and you cringe like a salted snail at the thought of appearing as Santa Claus before an audience of charming children who wouldn't hurt a fly. It's enough to make an aunt turn her face to the wall and give up the struggle.
Almost every comedy you see is about people making all wrong choices and making all the errors of judgement possible. Good comedy is when it works on this scale. Because it is psychologically very real.
In the end, everything is a gag.
The doctor seemed especially troubled by the fact of the robbery having been unexpected, and attempted in the night-time; as if it were the established custom of gentlemen in the housebreaking way to transact business at noon, and to make an appointment, by the twopenny post, a day or two previous.
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