Lord Chesterfield Quotes - Page 4

Quotes about:

• Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Humility, Bait, Modesty

  Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield (1855). “The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author”, p.341

  53 Copy quote

• Smooth your way to the head through the heart. The way of reason is a good one: but it is commonly something longer, and perhapsnot so sure.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Heart, Compassion, Way

  "Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman". Book by Lord Chesterfield, 1774.

  6 Copy quote

• Prepare yourself for the world, as athletes used to do for their exercises; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the necessary suppleness and flexibility; strength alone will not do.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Strength, Being Strong, Athlete

  Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Eugenia Stanhope (1827). “Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son”, p.301

  8 Copy quote

• Cardinal Mazarin was a great knave, but no great man; much more cunning than able; scandalously false and dirtily greedy.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Character, Men, Greed

  Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Eugenia Stanhope (1827). “Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son”, p.355

  4 Copy quote

• A wise man will live as much within his wit as within his income.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Wise, Men, Advice

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.346, Oxford University Press

  7 Copy quote

• Silence and reserve suggest latent power. What some men think has more effect than what others say.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Men, Thinking, Silence

  5 Copy quote

• Merit and knowledge will not gain hearts, though they will secure them when gained.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Heart, Merit, Gains

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.179, Oxford University Press

  5 Copy quote

• In order to judge of the inside of others, study your own; for men in general are very much alike; and though one has one prevailing passion, and another has another, yet their operations are much the same; and whatever engages or disgusts, pleases or offends you, in others, will, mutatis mutandis, engage, disgust, please, or offend others, in you.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Passion, Men, Order

  "Manners and speech or maxims extracted from Lord Chesterfield's letters to his son". Book by Lord Chesterfield, 1884.

  4 Copy quote

• I would rather have a young fellow too much than too little dressed; the excess on that side will wear off, with a little age and reflection; but if he is negligent at twenty, he will be a sloven at forty, and stink at fifty years old. Dress yourself fine where others are fine, and plain where others are plain; but take care always that your clothes are well made and fit you, for otherwise they will give you a very awkward air.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Reflection, Years, Clothes

  Lord Chesterfield (1998). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.128, Oxford Paperbacks

  6 Copy quote

• There is time enough for everything in the course of the day if you do but one thing once; but there is not time enough in the year if you will do two things at a time.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Time, Years, Two

  Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield (1855). “The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author”, p.153

  5 Copy quote

• I have seen many people, who while you are speaking to them, instead, of looking at, and attending to you, fix their eyes upon the ceiling, or some other part of the room, look out of the window, play with a dog, twirl their snuff-box, or pick their nose. Nothing discovers a little, futile, frivolous mind more than this, and nothing is so offensively ill-bred.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Dog, Eye, Play

  "Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman". Book by Lord Chesterfield, 1774.

  7 Copy quote

• Religion is by no means a proper subject of conversation in mixed company; it should only be treated among a very few people of learning, for mutual instruction. It is too awful and respectable a subject to become a familiar one.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Mean, People, Religion

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.353, Oxford University Press

  18 Copy quote

• Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Mind, Purpose, Done

  Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield (1855). “The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author”, p.174

  8 Copy quote

• If you would convince others, seem open to conviction yourself.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Persuasion, Conviction, Convincing

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.65, Oxford University Press

  9 Copy quote

• You must be respectful and assenting, but without being servile and abject. You must be frank, but without indiscretion, and close, without being costive. You must keep up dignity of character, without the least pride of birth, or rank. You must be gay, within all the bounds of decency and respect; and grave, without the affectation of wisdom, which does not become the age of twenty. You must be essentially secret, without being dark and mysterious. You must be firm, and even bold, but with great seeming modesty.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Character, Gay, Dark

  9 Copy quote

• Knowledge of the world in only to be acquired in the world, and not in a closet.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Education, Knowledge, World

  'Letters to his Son' (1774) 4 October 1746

  11 Copy quote

• I have, by long experience, found women to be like Telephus's spear: if one end kills, the other cures.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Women, Long, Ends

  Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield (1855). “The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author”, p.563

  4 Copy quote

• Not to perceive the little weaknesses and the idle but innocent affectations of the company may be allowable as a sort of polite duty. The company will be pleased with you if you do, and most probably will not be reformed by you if you do not.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Weakness, May, Littles

  4 Copy quote

• Talk often, but never long; in that case, if you do not please, at least you are sure not to tire your hearers. Pay your own reckoning, but do not treat the whole company; this being one of the few cases in which people do not care to be treated, every one being fully convinced that he has wherewithal to pay.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Talking, Long, People

  Lord Chesterfield (1998). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.101, Oxford Paperbacks

  4 Copy quote

• If a man, notoriously and designedly, insults and affronts you, knock him down; but if he only injures you, your best revenge is to be extremely civil to him in your outward behaviour, though at the same time you counterwork him, and return him the compliment, perhaps with interest.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Revenge, Men, Return

  Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield (1855). “The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author”, p.485

  4 Copy quote

• Little minds mistake little objects for great ones, and lavish away upon the former that time and attention which only the latterdeserve. To such mistakes we owe the numerous and frivolous tribe of insect-mongers, shell-mongers, and pursuers and driers of butterflies, etc. The strong mind distinguishes, not only between the useful and the useless, but likewise between the useful and the curious.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Strong, Mistake, Butterfly

  Lord Chesterfield (1998). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.160, OUP Oxford

  7 Copy quote

• It is often more necessary to conceal contempt than resentment; the former is never forgiven, but the later is sometimes forgotten.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Resentment, Forgotten, Sometimes

  6 Copy quote

• In business be as able as you can, but do not be cunning; cunning is the dark sanctuary of incapacity.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Dark, Sanctuary, Able

  Lord Chesterfield (1998). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.380, Oxford Paperbacks

  9 Copy quote

• If you are not in fashion, you are nobody.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Fashion, Ifs

  1750 Letter to his son, 30 Apr.

  21 Copy quote

• A man who cannot command his temper, his attention, and his countenance should not think of being a man of business.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Men, Thinking, Should

  "The Modern Chesterfield".

  6 Copy quote

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