Speak of the moderns without contempt, and of the ancients without idolatry.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Books, Literature
Learning is acquired by reading books, but the much more necessary learning, the knowledge of the world, is only to be acquired by reading men, and studying all the various facets of them.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Learning, Knowledge
Ceremony is necessary as the outwork and defense of manners.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Manners, Defense
Prepare yourself for the world, as the athletes used to do for their exercise; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the necessary suppleness and flexibility; strength alone will not do.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Manners
Let dull critics feed upon the carcases of plays; give me the taste and the dressing.
—Earl of Chesterfield
We read every day with astonishment, things which we see everyday without surprise.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Loud laughter is the mirth of the mob, who are only pleased with silly things; for true Wit or good Sense never excited a laugh since the creation of the world. A man of parts and fashion is therefore often seen to smile, but never heard to laugh.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Laughter
Pleasure is a reciprocal; no one feels it who does not at the same time give it. To be pleased, one must please.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Kindness, Giving, Happiness, Helpfulness, Service, Goodwill
Wise people may say what they will, but one passion is never cured by another.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Wisdom
Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Time Management, Time, Procrastination, The Present, Truth, Honesty, Punctuality
There is hardly any place or any company where you may not gain knowledge, if you please; almost everybody know some one thing, and is glad to talk about that one thing.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Knowledge
Great talents, such as honor, virtue, learning, and parts, are above the generality of the world, who neither possess them themselves, nor judge of them rightly in others; but all people are judges of the lesser talents, such as civility, affability, and an obliging, agreeable address and manner, because they feel the good effects of them, as making society easy and pleasing.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Talent
I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.
—Earl of Chesterfield
The young leading the young, is like the blind leading the blind; they will both fall into the ditch.
—Earl of Chesterfield
I am sure that since I have had the full use of my reason, nobody has heard me laugh.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Laughter
Persist and persevere, and you will find most things that are attainable, possible.
—Earl of Chesterfield
Topics: Persistence, Perseverance