--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can hardly bring myself to caution you…" description: "\"I can hardly bring myself to caution you against drinking, because I am persuaded that I am writing to a rational creature, a gentleman, and not to a s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/lord-chesterfield-757_advise_i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you_863354.jpg" --- # I can hardly bring myself to caution you against drinking… ![“I can hardly bring myself to caution you against drinking, because I am persuaded that I am writing to a rational creature, a gentleman, and not to a swine. However, that you may not be insensibly drawn into that beastly custom of even sober drinking and sipping, as the sots call it, I advise you…” quote by Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/lord-chesterfield-757_advise_i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you_863354.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/lord-chesterfield-757_advise_i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you_863354.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/lord-chesterfield-757_advise_i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you_863354.jpg) > “I can hardly bring myself to caution you against drinking, because I am persuaded that I am writing to a rational creature, a gentleman, and not to a swine. However, that you may not be insensibly drawn into that beastly custom of even sober drinking and sipping, as the sots call it, I advise you to be of no club whatsoever.” [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He humorously advises against drinking, treating the recipient as rational, while warning about the absurdity of both drunken and sober drinking habits. **In simple terms:** He jokes about avoiding all drinking, even sober. Key Takeaway Choose moderation or abstinence. Themes drinking rationality social customs Mood wry philosophical Type advice satire When to use this quote - social gatherings - personal health - peer pressure Key Concepts moderation self‑control satire Questions to Reflect On - Why do we ritualize drinking? - Can moderation be truly rational? A Different Perspective May be seen as overly moralistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advise/) [Beastly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beastly/) [Caution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caution/) [Caution Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caution-drinking-877254/) [Clubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clubs/) [Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures/) [Customs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs/) [Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Drinking Persuaded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking-persuaded-877255/) [Drinking Sipping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking-sipping-877257/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Sipping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sipping/) [Sober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober/) [Sober Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sober-drinking-877256/) [Swine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swine/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [You again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-again/) ## Related quotes > [The hardest thing I ever did was get sober. I was drinking two and a half bottles of whiskey a day and taking 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/the-hardest-thing-i-ever-did-was-get-sober-i-was-drinking-two-and-a/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [“Caution: Drinking is not good for the phone and Twitter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/caution-drinking-is-not-good-for-the-phone-and-twitter/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [“Caution: Drinking is not good for the phone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/caution-drinking-is-not-good-for-the-phone/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [How some dare scorn (as if a fabulous lie) that they should rise whom death to dust doth bind -- and like to beasts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-alexander-1st-earl-of-stirling/how-some-dare-scorn-as-if-a-fabulous-lie-that-they-should-rise-whom/) [William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-alexander-1st-earl-of-stirling/) > [I am so beastly tired of mankind and the world that nothing can interest me unless it contains a couple of murders on each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-so-beastly-tired-of-mankind-and-the-world-that-nothing-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well, it seems like a miracle to be able to look forward-to-to see all the minutes in front of one come hopping along with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/well-it-seems-like-a-miracle-to-be-able-to-look-forward-to-to-see-all/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [It seems to me that the chief thing about a woman - who is much of a woman - is that in the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/it-seems-to-me-that-the-chief-thing-about-a-woman-who-is-much-of-a/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [The consuming desire of most human beings is deliberately to place their entire life in the hands of some other person. For this purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/the-consuming-desire-of-most-human-beings-is-deliberately-to-place/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Food conditions the nature of the mind. Mind guides the thinking. Thinking results in action. Actions lead to commensurate or matching results and effects.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/food-conditions-the-nature-of-the-mind-mind-guides-the-thinking/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [“I glances at Sloane, who was having a joyous reunion with fifty close friends she hadn't seen since yesterday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-flinn/i-glances-at-sloane-who-was-having-a-joyous-reunion-with-fifty-close/) [Alex Flinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-flinn/) > [Eschew all those beastly adjectives...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/eschew-all-those-beastly-adjectives/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“Man could be utterly beastly at times and his humour abysmally dark, morbid and demoniac. - Page 105, Blue Jeans”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-saxena/man-could-be-utterly-beastly-at-times-and-his-humour-abysmally-dark/) [Manisha Saxena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-saxena/) > [Beastly of him to die before you realized he might be fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-alexander/beastly-of-him-to-die-before-you-realized-he-might-be-fascinating/) [Tasha Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-alexander/) > [Obviously, you don't have to be religious to be moral, and beastly people are sometimes religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/obviously-you-don-t-have-to-be-religious-to-be-moral-and-beastly/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [“wow hav u read beastly its really awesome i mean u wont want 2 put it down ever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-flinn/wow-hav-u-read-beastly-its-really-awesome-i-mean-u-wont-want-2-put-it/) [Alex Flinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-flinn/) ## More by Lord Chesterfield > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [No woman ever yet either reasoned or acted long together consequentially; but some little thing, some love, some resentment, somepresent momentary interest, some supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/no-woman-ever-yet-either-reasoned-or-acted-long-together/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [I am in the pitiable situation of feeling all the force of temptation without having the strength to succumb to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-am-in-the-pitiable-situation-of-feeling-all-the-force-of-temptation/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/mankind-is-made-up-of-inconsistencies-and-no-man-acts-invariably-up/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Compliments of congratulation are always kindly taken, and cost nothing but pen, ink and paper. I consider them as draughts upon good breeding, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/compliments-of-congratulation-are-always-kindly-taken-and-cost/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [The insolent civility of a proud man is, if possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be; because he shows you, by his manner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/the-insolent-civility-of-a-proud-man-is-if-possible-more-shocking/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Secret thoughts and an open countenance will take you safely the world over”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/secret-thoughts-and-an-open-countenance-will-take-you-safely-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Virtue and learning, like gold, have their intrinsic value: but if they are not polished, they certainly lose a great deal of their luster:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/virtue-and-learning-like-gold-have-their-intrinsic-value-but-if-they/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Knowledge is a comfortable and necessary retreat and shelter for us in an advanced age; and if we do not plant it while young,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/knowledge-is-a-comfortable-and-necessary-retreat-and-shelter-for-us/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Promptness is the soul of business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/promptness-is-the-soul-of-business/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Style is the dress of thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/style-is-the-dress-of-thoughts/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [It is commonly said that ridicule is the best test of truth; for that it will not stick where it is not just. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/it-is-commonly-said-that-ridicule-is-the-best-test-of-truth-for-that/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [There is hardly any place or any company where you may not gain knowledge, if you please; almost everybody knows some one thing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-is-hardly-any-place-or-any-company-where-you-may-not-gain/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Assurance and intrepidity, under the white banner of seeming modesty, clear the way for merit, that would otherwise be discouraged by difficulties...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/assurance-and-intrepidity-under-the-white-banner-of-seeming-modesty/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/many-a-man-would-rather-you-heard-his-story-than-grant-his-request/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) [Explore all 378 Lord Chesterfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## More Advise quotes > [Choosing a job or business is the same thing. I'm not the best one to advise someone how to make billions of dollars; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/choosing-a-job-or-business-is-the-same-thing-i-m-not-the-best-one-to/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) > [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Sometimes curiosity is a poison, not only for those who drink it but for everyone around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/sometimes-curiosity-is-a-poison-not-only-for-those-who-drink-it-but/) [G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/) > [Dont ever wrestle with a pig u'll both get dirty but the pig will enj0y it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udechukwu-d0navan/dont-ever-wrestle-with-a-pig-u-ll-both-get-dirty-but-the-pig-will/) [Udechukwu D0navan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udechukwu-d0navan/) > [Some writing courses will advise you to write what you know. I've always thought this is very odd advice ... because it means, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/some-writing-courses-will-advise-you-to-write-what-you-know-i-ve/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [I advise women to invest in real estate. It is the collateral to be preferred above all others, and the safest means of investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hetty-green/i-advise-women-to-invest-in-real-estate-it-is-the-collateral-to-be/) [Hetty Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hetty-green/) > [You bomb ISIL. You're not trying to bomb innocent people. And that requires intelligence and confidence in our military to be able to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-bomb-isil-you-re-not-trying-to-bomb-innocent-people-and-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/) [Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/) > [I do not allow fan-fiction. The characters are copyrighted. It upsets me terribly to even think about fan-fiction with my characters. I advise my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-do-not-allow-fan-fiction-the-characters-are-copyrighted-it-upsets/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [Only a foolish man wil keep on doing one ting and expect another result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordons/only-a-foolish-man-wil-keep-on-doing-one-ting-and-expect-another/) [Gordons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordons/) > [I do believe that where there is a choice between cowardice and non-violence I would advise violence. Thus when my eldest son asked me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-believe-that-where-there-is-a-choice-between-cowardice-and-non/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [You are lucky in life if you have the right heroes. I advise all of you, to the extent you can, to pick out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/you-are-lucky-in-life-if-you-have-the-right-heroes-i-advise-all-of/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“I don't advise. You mutn't give any weight to what I say, except in so far as your own judgment approves it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/i-don-t-advise-you-mutn-t-give-any-weight-to-what-i-say-except-in-so/) [George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/) > [Parents can only advise their children or point them in the right direction. Ultimately people shape their own characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/parents-can-only-advise-their-children-or-point-them-in-the-right/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) [Browse all 507 Advise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can hardly bring myself to caution you against drinking, because I am persuaded that I am writing to a rational creature, a gentleman, and not to a swine. However, that you may not be insensibly drawn into that beastly custom of even sober drinking and sipping, as the sots call it, I advise you to be of no club whatsoever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lord Chesterfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you-against-drinking-because-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you-against-drinking-because-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/lord-chesterfield-757_advise_i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you_863354.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/lord-chesterfield-757_advise_i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you_863354.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/lord-chesterfield-757_advise_i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you_863354.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can hardly bring myself to caution you against drinking, because I am persuaded that I am writing to a…” — Lord Chesterfield", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lord Chesterfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can hardly bring myself to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you-against-drinking-because-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-caution-you-against-drinking-because-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```