Lord Chesterfield Quotes - Page 6

Quotes about:

• Second-rate knowledge, and middling talents, carry a man farther at courts, and in the busy part of the world, than superior knowledge and shining parts.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Knowledge, Men, Shining

  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.421

  8 Copy quote

• In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it - thou art a fool.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Inspirational, Life, Wise

  12 Copy quote

• A man of sense may be in haste, but can never be in a hurry.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Men, Haste, May

  Lord Chesterfield (2008). “The Modern Chesterfield”, p.180, Wildside Press LLC

  4 Copy quote

• Few men are of one plain, decided color; most are mixed, shaded, and blended; and vary as much, from different situations, as changeable silks do from different lights.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Life, Success, Men

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.260, Oxford University Press

  4 Copy quote

• One should always think of what one is about; when one is learning, one should not think of play; and when one is at play, one should not think of learning.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Education, Teaching, Thinking

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.12, Oxford University Press

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• You must labour to acquire that great and uncommon talent of hating with good breeding, and loving with prudence; to make no quarrel irreconcilable by silly and unnecessary indications of anger; and no friendship dangerous, in care it breaks, by a wanton, indiscreet, and unreserved confidence.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Love, Hate, Silly

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• A proper secrecy is the only mystery of able men; mystery is the only secrecy of weak and cunning ones.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Men, Able, Mystery

  Lord Chesterfield (2008). “The Modern Chesterfield”, p.245, Wildside Press LLC

  12 Copy quote

• There will never be a better time to start quitting smoking than today

  Lord Chesterfield

  Encouragement, Smoking, Today

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• No man can possibly improve in any company for which he has not respect enough to be under some degree of restraint.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Men, Degrees, Enough

  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.509

  4 Copy quote

• All I desire for my own burial, is not to be buried alive; but how or where, I think, must be entirely indifferent to every rational creature.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Death, Thinking, Desire

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.365, Oxford University Press

  5 Copy quote

• Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly, and the weakest sometimes wisely.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Character, Men, Wisest Man

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.77, Oxford University Press

  9 Copy quote

• Knowledge is a comfortable and necessary retreat and shelter for us in an advanced age; and if we do not plant it while young, it will give us no shade when we grow old.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Education, Giving, Age

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

  5 Copy quote

• For my own part, I would rather be in company with a dead man than with an absent one; for if the dead man gives me no pleasure, at least he shows me no contempt; whereas the absent one, silently indeed, but very plainly, tells me that he does not think me worth his attention.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Real, Men, Thinking

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.155, Oxford University Press

  54 Copy quote

• Of those who really love their sons, few know how to do it. Some spoil them when they are young, and then quarrel with them when they are grown up, for having been spoiled; some love them like mothers, and attend only to the bodily health and strength of the hopes of their family, solemnize his birthday, and rejoice, like the subjects of the Great Mogul, at the increase of his bulk: while others, minding, as they think, only essentials, take pains and pleasure to see in their heir, all their favourite weaknesses and imperfections.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Love, Family, Mother

  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.459

  9 Copy quote

• You will find that reason, which always ought to direct mankind, seldom does; but that passions and weaknesses commonly usurp itsseat, and rule in its stead.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Passion, Weakness, Doe

  Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Eugenia Stanhope (1827). “Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son”, p.135

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• A man of fashion never has recourse to proverbs, and vulgar aphorisms; uses neither favourite words nor hard words, but takes great care to speak very correctly and grammatically, and to pronounce properly; that is, according to the usage of the best companies.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Fashion, Men, Use

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.163, Oxford University Press

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• I am not of the opinion generally entertained in this country [England], that man lives by Greek and Latin alone; that is, by knowing a great many words of two dead languages, which nobody living knows perfectly, and which are of no use in the common intercourse of life. Useful knowledge, in my opinion, consists of modern languages, history, and geography; some Latin may be thrown into the bargain, in compliance with custom, and for closet amusement.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Education, Country, Latin

  6 Copy quote

• Style is the dress of thoughts; and let them be ever so just, if your style is homely, coarse, and vulgar, they will appear to as much disadvantage, and be as ill received, as your person, though ever so well-proportioned, would if dressed in rags, dirt, and tatters.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Style, Rags, Dresses

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.176, Oxford University Press

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• The company of women of fashion will improve your manners, though not your understanding; and that complaisance and politeness, which are so useful in men's company, can only be acquired in women's.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Fashion, Men, Understanding

  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.169

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• Experience only can teach men not to prefer what strikes them for the present moment, to what will have much greater weight with the them hereafter.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Men, Experience, Weight

  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.630

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• Love has been not unaptly compared to the small-pox, which most people have sooner or later.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Love, People, Pox

  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.466

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• Lady ---- is safely delivered of a son, to the great joy of that noble family. The expression, of a woman's having brought her husband a son, seems to be a proper and cautious one; for it is never said, from whence.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Husband, Son, Expression

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.325, Oxford University Press

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• The only sure way of avoiding these evils [vanity and boasting] is never to speak of yourself at all. But when, historically, youare obliged to mention yourself, take care not to drop one single word that can directly or indirectly be construed as fishing for applause.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Vanity, Fishing, Evil

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• Endeavor, as much as you can, to keep company with people above you.... Do not mistake, when I say company above you, and think that I mean with regard to their birth; that is the least consideration; but I mean with regard to their merit, and the light in which the world considers them.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Mistake, Mean, Thinking

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.56, Oxford University Press

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• In the mass of mankind, I fear, there is too great a majority of fools and knaves; who, singly from their number, must to a certain degree be respected, though they are by no means respectable.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Respect, Mean, Numbers

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.125, Oxford University Press

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