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Lord Chesterfield

Lord Chesterfield Quotes

British Statesman

British statesman known for his epistolary works, which had a profound impact on 18th-century British society.

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All Men People Ifs May Wells Should Company Thinking Giving Manners World Knows Mind Pleasure Character Littles Care Young Long Age

Famous Lord Chesterfield Quotes

“Observe it, the vulgar often laugh, but never smile, whereas well-bred people often smile, and seldom or never laugh. A witty thing never excited laughter, it pleases only the mind and never distorts the countenance.”

People Mind Wells Laughing Please Laughter Witty Excited Vulgar Countenance

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“If you will please people, you must please them in their own way.”

People Ifs Way Please

Book:The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

Source: The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

“No man tastes pleasures truly, who does not earn them by previous business; and few people do business well, who do nothing else.”

People Men Wells Doe Pleasure Business Taste

Book:The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

Source: The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

“Never hold anyone by the button or the hand in order to be heard out; for if people are unwilling to hear you, you had better hold your tongue than them.”

People Ifs Hands Order Heard Conversation Tongue Buttons Unwilling Miscellaneous

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Observe any meetings of people, and you will always find their eagerness and impetuosity rise or fall in proportion to their numbers.”

People Fall Numbers Meetings Crowds Proportion Eagerness

Book:The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

Source: The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

“It is good breeding alone that can prepossess people in your favor at first sight, more time being necessary to discover greater talents.”

People Firsts Greater Talent Sight Favors More Time Breeding Good Breeding

Book:The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

Source: The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

“Either a good or a bad reputation outruns and gets before people wherever they go.”

People Reputation Human Condition Outrun Bad Reputation

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“People hate those who make them feel their own inferiority.”

People Feels Hate Human Condition Inferiority

Book:The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

Source: The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

“To please people is a great step towards persuading them.”

People Steps Please Persuasion Persuading

Book:The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

Source: The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

“Those who see and observe kings, heroes, and statesmen, discover that they have headaches, indigestion, humors and passions, just like other people; every one of which in their turns determine their wills in defiance of their reason.”

People Reason Turns Passion Kings Hero Determine Rulers Statesmen Defiance Headache Indigestion

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“If you will please people, you must please them in their own way; and as you cannot make them what they should be, you must take them as they are.”

People Ifs Way Should Please Tolerance Be You

Book:The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

Source: The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the Author

About the Author

Born: September 22, 1694
Died: March 24, 1773
Known for: British Statesman
Quotes: 437

Related Topics

Men People Ifs May Wells Should Company Thinking Giving Manners World Knows Mind Pleasure Character Littles Care Young Long Age

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Lord Chesterfield's LettersRelated source material

The Works of Lord Chesterfield: Including His Letters to His Son, Etc : to which is Prefixed, an Original Life of the AuthorRelated source material

Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His SonRelated source material

The Modern ChesterfieldRelated source material

LETTERS TO HIS SONRelated source material

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