A man who cannot command his temper should not think of being a man in business. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
A cheerful, easy, open countenance will make fools think you a good-natured man, and make designing men think you an undesigning one. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Study the heart and the mind of man, and begin with your own. Meditation and reflection must lay the foundation of that… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
It is hard to say which is the greatest fool: he who tells the whole truth, or he who tells no truth… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
A man who cannot command his temper, his attention, and his countenance should not think of being a man of business. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
No man can possibly improve in any company for which he has not respect enough to be under some degree of restraint. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
A vulgar man is captious and jealous; eager and impetuous about trifles. He suspects himself to be slighted, and thinks everything that… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
The company of women of fashion will improve your manners, though not your understanding; and that complaisance and politeness, which are so… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Experience only can teach men not to prefer what strikes them for the present moment, to what will have much greater weight… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
A man of sense soon discovers, because he carefully observes, where and how long he is welcome; and takes care to leave… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
All ceremonies are in themselves very silly things; but yet, a man of the world should know them. They are the outworks… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
The world can doubtless never be well known by theory: practice is absolutely necessary; but surely it is of great use to… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
One man affirms that he has rode post a hundred miles in six hours; probably it is a lie; but supposing it… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Vulgarism in language is the distinguishing characteristic of bad company, and a bad education. A man of fashion avoids nothing with more… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Never yield to that temptation, which, to most young men, is very strong, of exposing other people's weaknesses and infirmities, for the… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Truth, but not the whole truth, must be the invariable principle of every man who hath either religion, honour, or prudence. Thosewho… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Keep carefully not of all scrapes and quarrels. They lower a character extremely; and are particularly dangerous in France, wherea man is… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Few men are of one plain, decided color; most are mixed, shaded, and blended; and vary as much, from different situations, as… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
A man's fortune is frequently decided by his first address. If pleasing, others at once conclude he has merit; but if ungraceful,… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
I love every-day senses, every-day wit and entertainment; a man who is only good on holidays, is good for very little. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Second-rate knowledge, and middling talents, carry a man farther at courts, and in the busy part of the world, than superior knowledge… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Cardinal Mazarin was a great knave, but no great man; much more cunning than able; scandalously false and dirtily greedy. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly,… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
The manner of a vulgar man has freedom without ease, and the manner of a gentleman has ease without freedom. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
If originally it was not good for a man to be alone, it is much worse for a sick man to be… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
An ignorant man is insignificant and contemptible; nobody cares for his company, and he can just be said to live, and that… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
No man tastes pleasures truly, who does not earn them by previous business; and few people do business well, who do nothing… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
An honest man may really love a pretty girl, but only an idiot marries her merely because she is pretty. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Loud laughter is the mirth of the mob, who are only pleased with silly things; for true Wit or good Sense never… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Horse-play, romping, frequent and loud fits of laughter, jokes, and indiscriminate familiarity, will sink both merit and knowledge into a degree of… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Wrongs are often forgiven, but contempt never is. Our pride remembers it forever. It implies a discovery of weakness, which we are… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
The great, the rich, the powerful, too often bestow their favours upon their inferiors in the manner they bestow their scraps upontheir… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
If you wish particularly to gain the good graces and affection of certain people, men or women, try to discover their most… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
A man of the best parts and greatest learning, if he does not know the world by his own experience and observation,… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
In order to judge of the inside of others, study your own; for men in general are very much alike; and though… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
A man who owes a little can clear it off in a very little time, and, if he is a prudent man,… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
The law before us, my lords, seems to be the effect of that practice of which it is intended likewise to be… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Civility, which is a disposition to accommodate and oblige others, is essentially the same in every country; but good breeding, asit is… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
If a man, notoriously and designedly, insults and affronts you, knock him down; but if he only injures you, your best revenge… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
In the course of the world, a man must very often put on an easy, frank countenance, upon very disagreeable occasions; he… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
No woman ever yet either reasoned or acted long together consequentially; but some little thing, some love, some resentment, somepresent momentary interest, some supposed… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
I am in the pitiable situation of feeling all the force of temptation without having the strength to succumb to it. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly, and the… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
Compliments of congratulation are always kindly taken, and cost nothing but pen, ink and paper. I consider them as draughts upon good breeding, where… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
The insolent civility of a proud man is, if possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be; because he shows you, by his manner,… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
“Secret thoughts and an open countenance will take you safely the world over” — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
Virtue and learning, like gold, have their intrinsic value: but if they are not polished, they certainly lose a great deal of their luster:… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
Knowledge is a comfortable and necessary retreat and shelter for us in an advanced age; and if we do not plant it while young,… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
It is commonly said that ridicule is the best test of truth; for that it will not stick where it is not just. I… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
There is hardly any place or any company where you may not gain knowledge, if you please; almost everybody knows some one thing, and… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
Assurance and intrepidity, under the white banner of seeming modesty, clear the way for merit, that would otherwise be discouraged by difficulties... — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
