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Quote by Lord Chesterfield

“I always put these pert jackanapeses out of countenance by looking extremely grave when they expect that I should laugh at their pleasantries; and by saying Well, and so?--as if they had not done, and that the sting were still to come. This disconcerts them, as they have no resources in themselves, and have but one set of jokes to live upon.”

Quote by Lord Chesterfield

Author

Lord Chesterfield

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

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“Remember that the wit, humour, and jokes of most mixed companies are local. They thrive in that particular soil, but will not often bear transplanting.”

Humor Funny Remember Company Humour Particular Bears Jokes Wit Locals Soil Thrive

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“The best way to compel weak-minded people to adopt our opinion, is to frighten them from all others, by magnifying their danger.”

People Way Fear Opinion Danger Weak Best Way Gullibility Magnifying

Book:Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son

Source: Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son

“A certain degree of fear produces the same effects as rashness.”

Certain Fear Effects Produce Degrees Rashness

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

“When griefs are genuine, I find, there is nothing more vacuous, more burdensome, or even more impertinent, than letters of consolation.”

Grief Letters Genuine Sympathy Consolation Vacuous

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“The great, the rich, the powerful, too often bestow their favours upon their inferiors in the manner they bestow their scraps upontheir dogs, so as neither to oblige man nor dogs. It is no wonder if favours, benefits, and even charities thus bestowed ungraciously, should be as coldly and faintly acknowledged.”

Ifs Men Should Powerful Wonder Rich Dog He Man Gratitude Benefits Charity Inferiors Favour Scrap

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Let us not only scatter benefits, but even strew flowers for our fellow-travellers, in the rugged ways of this wretched world.”

World Way Flower Benefits Fellows Charity Generosity Wretched Traveller Rugged

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Give nobly to indigent merit, and do not refuse your charity even to those who have not merit but their misery.”

Giving Misery Charity Refuse Merit

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“If a man, notoriously and designedly, insults and affronts you, knock him down; but if he only injures you, your best revenge is to be extremely civil to him in your outward behaviour, though at the same time you counterwork him, and return him the compliment, perhaps with interest.”

Ifs Men Interest Return Revenge Insult Compliment Behaviour Best Revenge

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

“In the mass of mankind, I fear, there is too great a majority of fools and knaves; who, singly from their number, must to a certain degree be respected, though they are by no means respectable.”

Mean Certain Numbers Mankind Fool Degrees Mass Respect Majority Respectable Respectability Knaves

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“A man of sense soon discovers, because he carefully observes, where and how long he is welcome; and takes care to leave the company at least as soon as he is wished out of it. Fools never perceive whether they are ill timed or ill placed.”

Men Long Care Company Fool Ill Take Care Welcome Perceive

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters