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Quote by Lord Chesterfield

“I am provoked at the contempt which most historians show for humanity in general; one would think by them, that the whole human species consisted but of about a hundred and fifty people, called and dignified (commonly very undeservedly too) by the titles of Emperors, Kings, Popes, Generals, and Ministers.”

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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“Good manners, to those one does not love, are no more a breach of truth, than "your humble servant," at the bottom of a challengeis; they are universally agreed upon, and understand to be things of course. They are necessary guards of the decency and peace of society.”

Doe Truth Courses Bottom Humble Manners Servant Good Man Decency Etiquette Good Manners Breach

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“Truth, but not the whole truth, must be the invariable principle of every man who hath either religion, honour, or prudence. Thosewho violate it, may be cunning, but they are not able. Lies and perfidy are the refuge of fools and cowards.”

Men May Whole Truth Able Lying Principles Fool Every Man Coward Honour Refuge Cunning Prudence Whole Truth Perfidy

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“I have been too long acquainted with human nature to have great regard for human testimony; and a very great degree of probability, supported by various concurrent circumstances, conspiring in one point, will have much greater weight with me, than human testimony upon oath, or even upon honour; both of which I have frequently seen considerably warped by private views.”

Humans Long Has Beens Truth Views Greater Human Nature Circumstances Degrees Weight Regard Various Honour Probability Testimony Oath Conspiring

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“It is hard to say which is the greatest fool: he who tells the whole truth, or he who tells no truth at all. Character is as necessary in business as in trade. No man can deceive often in either.”

Men Hard Whole Character Truth Fool Trade Deceiving Whole Truth

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 write anything tolerable, the mind must be in a natural, proper disposition; provocatives, in that case, as well as in another,will only produce miserable, abortive performances.”

Writing Mind Wells Natural Creativity Cases Produce Performances Miserable Disposition Tolerable

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

“Remember that whatever knowledge you do not solidly lay the foundation of before you are eighteen, you will never be master of while you breathe.”

Remember Knowledge Masters Foundation Lays Breathe Eighteen

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

“Our conjectures pass upon us for truths; we will know what we do not know, and often, what we cannot know: so mortifying to our pride is the base suspicion of ignorance.”

Knows Knowledge Ignorance Pride Suspicion Conjecture

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“A seeming ignorance is very often a most necessary part of worldly knowledge. It is, for instance, commonly advisable to seem ignorant of what people offer to tell you; and when they say, Have not you heard of such a thing? to answer No, and to let them go on, though you know it already.”

People Knows Seems Answers Knowledge Heard Ignorance Goes On Offers Ignorant Instance Worldly Seeming Advisable

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Second-rate knowledge, and middling talents, carry a man farther at courts, and in the busy part of the world, than superior knowledge and shining parts.”

Men World Knowledge Talent Court Shining Rate Busy Superiors Second Rate

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

“Let it be your maxim through life, to know all you can know, yourself; and never to trust implicitly to the information of others.”

Knows Knowledge Trust Independence Maxims Know Yourself

Author:Lord Chesterfield