Whoever plays deep must necessarily lose his money or his character. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Be your character what it will, it will be known, and nobody will take it upon your word. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
He adorned whatever subject he either spoke or wrote upon, by the most splendid eloquence. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
The nation looked upon him as a deserter, and he shrunk into insignificancy and an earldom. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
The greatest powers cannot injure a man's character whose reputation is unblemished among his party. — 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
So much are our minds influenced by the accidents of our bodies, that every man is more the man of the day… — 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
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
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
Conscious virtue is the only solid foundation of all happiness; for riches, power, rank, or whatever, in the common acceptation ofthe word,… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
A rake is a composition of all the lowest, most ignoble, degrading, and shameful vices; they all conspire to disgrace his character,… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Keep your hands clean and pure from the infamous vice of corruption, a vice so infamous that it degrades even the other… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Women of fashion and character--I do not mean absolutely unblemished--are a necessary ingredient in the composition of good company; the attention which… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
You must be respectful and assenting, but without being servile and abject. You must be frank, but without indiscretion, and close, without… — 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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
“Secret thoughts and an open countenance will take you safely the world over” — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
