The permanency of most friendships depends upon the continuity of good fortune. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Distrust those who love you extremely upon a slight acquaintance, and without any visible reason. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
In friendship, as well as in love, the mind is often the dupe of the heart. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
The most familiar and intimate habitudes, connections, friendships, require a degree of good-breeding both to preserve and cement them. — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Ties of blood are not always ties of friendship; but friendship founded on merit, on esteem, and on mutual trust, becomes more… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
People will, in a great degree, and not without reason, form their opinion of you upon that which they have of your… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
Good breeding and good nature do incline us rather to help and raise people up to ourselves, than to mortify and depress… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
In your friendships and in your enmities let your confidence and your hostilities have certain bounds; make not the former dangerous, nor… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share Image
You must labour to acquire that great and uncommon talent of hating with good breeding, and loving with prudence; to make no… — 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 what such and such an amusement leads to, as it is essential to have an objective in everything you do. Any pastime that contributes nothing to bodily strength or to mental alertness is a totally ridiculous,… — 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 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 deny it. A truth learned in a certain light, and attacked in certain words, by men of wit and humor, may, and often doth, become ridiculous, at least so far, that the truth is only remembered… — Lord Chesterfield Copy Share
