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Quote by Lord Chesterfield

“Business by no means forbids pleasures; on the contrary, they reciprocally season each other; and I will venture to affirm, that no man enjoys either in perfection that does not join both.”

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Lord Chesterfield

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

“A foreign minister, I will maintain it, can never be a good man of business if he is not an agreeable man of pleasure too. Half his business is done by the help of his pleasures: his views are carried on, and perhaps best, and most unsuspectedly, at balls, suppers, assemblies, and parties of pleasure; by intrigues with women, and connections insensibly formed with men, at those unguarded hours of amusement.”

Ifs Men Done Helping Government Hours Pleasure Views Party Half Connections Balls Ministers Good Man Intrigue Amusement Assembly Supper

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“In business be as able as you can, but do not be cunning; cunning is the dark sanctuary of incapacity.”

Able Dark Cunning Sanctuary Incapacity

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“A learned parson, rusting in his cell at Oxford or Cambridge, will reason admirably well upon the nature of man; will profoundly analyze the head, the heart, the reason, the will, the passions, the senses, the sentiments, and all those subdivisions of we know not what ; and yet, unfortunately, he knows nothing of man... He views man as he does colours in Sir Isaac Newton's prism, where only the capital ones are seen; but an experienced dyer knows all their various shades and gradations, together with the result of their several mixtures.”

“An honest man may really love a pretty girl, but only an idiot marries her merely because she is pretty.”

Men Love May Girl Marriage Honest Idiot Honest Man Pretty Girl

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Love has been not unaptly compared to the small-pox, which most people have sooner or later.”

People Love Has Beens Sooner Or Later Pox

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

“You will find that reason, which always ought to direct mankind, seldom does; but that passions and weaknesses commonly usurp itsseat, and rule in its stead.”

Doe Reason Passion Mankind Ought Weakness Direct

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

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

“Spirit is now a very fashionable word: to act with Spirit, to speak with Spirit, means only to act rashly, and to talk indiscreetly. An able man shows his Spirit by gentle words and resolute actions; he is neither hot nor timid.”

Men Mean Shows Able Action Spirit Passion Speak Hot Enthusiasm Gentle Fashionable Resolute

Book:The Modern Chesterfield

Source: The Modern Chesterfield

“There is not a more prudent maxim, than to live with one's enemies as if they may one day become one's friends; as it commonly happens, sooner or later, in the vicissitudes of political affairs.”

Ifs May Happens Political Politics Enemy One Day Affair Sooner Or Later Maxims Prudent Vicissitudes

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Keep your own secret, and get out other people's. Keep your own temper, and artfully warm other people's. Counterwork your rivalswith diligence and dexterity, but at the same time with the utmost personal civility to them: and be firm without heat.”

People Politics Secret Warm Firm Heat Temper Cunning Civility Diligence Dexterity

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

Quote by Lord Chesterfield

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