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Lord Chesterfield Quotes - Page 13

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The value of moments, when cast up, is immense, if well employed; if thrown away, their loss is irrecoverable.

The value of moments, when cast up, is immense, if well employed; if thrown away, their loss is irrecoverable.

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

Give Dayrolles a chair.

Lord Chesterfield
Giving, Chairs, Last Words
Last words, in W. H. Craig 'Life of Lord Chesterfield' (1907) p. 343

Honest error is to be pitied not ridiculed.

Lord Chesterfield
Failure, Errors, Honest

To know a little of anything gives neither satisfaction nor credit, but often brings disgrace or ridicule.

Lord Chesterfield
Knowledge, Giving, Credit
Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.42, Oxford University Press

Ridicule is the best test of truth.

Lord Chesterfield
Truth, Tests, Ridicule
'Letters to his Son' (1774) 6 February 1752.

The rulers of the earth are all worth knowing; they suggest moral reflections: and the respect that one naturally has for God's vice-regents here on earth is greatly increased by acquaintance with them.

Lord Chesterfield
Leadership, Reflection, Knowing

Always make the best of the best, and never make bad worse.

Lord Chesterfield
Inspirational, Children, Best Of The Best

Were you to converse with a king, you ought to be as easy and unembarrassed as with your own valet-de chambre; but yet every look,word, and action should imply the utmost respect.... You must wait till you are spoken to; you must receive, not give, the subject of conversation, and you must even take care that the given subject of such conversation do not lead you into any impropriety.

Lord Chesterfield
Kings, Giving, Waiting
Lord Chesterfield (1998). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.268, OUP Oxford

The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel through it one's self to be acquainted with it.

Lord Chesterfield
Country, Nature, Travel
Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Eugenia Stanhope (1827). “Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son”, p.218

To me it appears strange that the men against whom I should be enabled to bring an action for laying a little dirt at my door, may with impunity drive by it half-a-dozen calves, with their tails lopped close to their bodies and their hinder parts covered with blood.

Lord Chesterfield
Men, Doors, Blood

All ceremonies are in themselves very silly things; but yet, a man of the world should know them. They are the outworks of Mannersand Decency, which would be too often broken in upon, if it were not for that defence, which keeps the enemy at a proper distance.

Lord Chesterfield
Distance, Silly, Men

If you will please people, you must please them in their own way.

Lord Chesterfield
People, Way, Please
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.303

This is the day when people reciprocally offer, and receive, the kindest and the warmest wishes, though, in general, without meaning them on one side, or believing them on the other. They are formed by the head, in compliance with custom, though disavowed by the heart, in consequence of nature.

Lord Chesterfield
New Year, Believe, Heart
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.497

In the case of scandal, as in that of robbery, the receiver is always thought as bad as the thief.

Lord Chesterfield
Thieves, Scandal, Cases
Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.106, Oxford University Press

Whoever incites anger has a strong insurance against indifference.

Lord Chesterfield
Strong, Anger, Uprising

Be wiser than other people if you can; but do not tell them so.

Lord Chesterfield
Life, Wise, Wisdom
Lord Chesterfield (2008). “The Modern Chesterfield”, p.34, Wildside Press LLC

Little vicious minds abound with anger and revenge and are incapable of feeling te pleasure of forgiving their enemies.

Lord Chesterfield
Forgiveness, Revenge, Feelings

People will no more advance their civility to a bear, than their money to a bankrupt.

Lord Chesterfield
People, Bears, Civility
Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Eugenia Stanhope (1827). “Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son”, p.121

A man who tells nothing, or who tells all, will equally have nothing told him.

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

I knew a gentleman who was so good a manager of his time that he would not even lose that small portion of it which the calls of nature obliged him to pass in the necessary-house; but gradually went through all the Latin poets in those moments.

Lord Chesterfield
Happiness, Attitude, Latin
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.167

Pocket all your knowledge with your watch, and never pull it out in company unless desired.

Lord Chesterfield
Knowledge, Pockets, Watches
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.357

Dispatch is the soul of business, and nothing contributes more to dispatch than method.

Lord Chesterfield
Business, Soul, Method
Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, Eugenia Stanhope (1827). “Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son”, p.149

Learning is acquired by reading books; much more necessary learning, the knowledge of the world, is only to be acquired by reading men, and studying all the various editions of them.

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

Keep your hands clean and pure from the infamous vice of corruption, a vice so infamous that it degrades even the other vices thatmay accompany it. Accept no present whatever; let your character in that respect be transparent and without the least speck, for as avarice is the vilest and dirtiest vice in private, corruption is so in public life.

Lord Chesterfield
Character, Hands, Greed
Lord Chesterfield (1998). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.418, OUP Oxford

Deserve a great deal, and you shall have a great deal; deserve little, and you shall have but a little; and be good for nothing atall, and I assure you, you shall have nothing at all.

Lord Chesterfield
Generosity, Littles, Rewards

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