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Quote by Lord Chesterfield

“The rulers of the earth are all worth knowing; they suggest moral reflections: and the respect that one naturally has for God's vice-regents here on earth is greatly increased by acquaintance with them.”

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Lord Chesterfield

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

“Were you to converse with a king, you ought to be as easy and unembarrassed as with your own valet-de chambre; but yet every look,word, and action should imply the utmost respect.... You must wait till you are spoken to; you must receive, not give, the subject of conversation, and you must even take care that the given subject of such conversation do not lead you into any impropriety.”

Giving Should Looks Care Action Given Easy Waiting Subjects Ought Kings Conversation Take Care Royalty Etiquette Converses Words And Actions Valet

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“As kings are begotten and born like other men, it is to be presumed that they are of the human species; and perhaps, had they thesame education, they might prove like other men. But, flattered from their cradles, their hearts are corrupted, and their heads are turned, so that they seem to be a species by themselves.... Flattery cannot be too strong for them; drunk with it from their infancy, like old drinkers, they require dreams.”

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

“There is nothing so necessary, but at the same time there is nothing more difficult (I know it by experience) for you young fellows, than to know how to behave yourselves prudently towards those whom you do not like. Your passions are warm, and your heads are light; you hate all those who oppose your views, either of ambition or love; and a rival, in either, is almost a synonymous term for any enemy.”

Knows Light Young Hate Passion Difficult Term Views Enemy Know How Like You Behavior Ambition Fellows Warm Behave Rivals Rivalry

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“It is to be presumed, that a man of common sense, who does not desire to please, desires nothing at all; since he must know that he cannot obtain anything without it.”

Knows Men Doe Desire Common Please Common Sense

Book:The Modern Chesterfield

Source: The Modern Chesterfield

“Armies, though always the supporters and tools of absolute power for the time being, are always the destroyers of it too; by frequently changing the hands in which they think proper to lodge it.”

Thinking Hands Power Tools Army Absolutes Supporter Destroyers Absolute Power Lodges

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 self-love is mortified, when we think our opinions, and even our tastes, customs, and dresses, either arraigned or condemned;as, on the contrary, it is tickled and flattered by approbation.”

Thinking Self Love Is Opinion Self Love Taste Dresses Contrary Customs Egotism Flattered

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

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

“Without any extraordinary effort of genius, I have discovered that nature was the same three thousand years ago as at present; that men were but men then as well as now; that modes and customs vary often, but that human nature is always the same. And I can no more suppose, that men were better, braver, or wiser, fifteen hundred or three thousand years ago, than I can suppose that the animals or vegetables were better than they are now.”

Men Years Humans Wells I Can Three Animal Effort Human Nature Genius Thousand Hundred Years Ago Extraordinary Customs Vegetables Fifteen Thousand Years Wiser Vary

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“The possibility of remedying imprudent actions is commonly an inducement to commit them.”

Action Motivation Human Nature Possibility Commit Temptation

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

“The law before us, my lords, seems to be the effect of that practice of which it is intended likewise to be the cause, and to be dictated by the liquor of which it so effectually promotes the use; for surely it never before was conceived by any man entrusted with the administration of public affairs, to raise taxes by the destruction of the people.”

People Men Use Seems Law Causes Lord Practice Effects Taxes Destruction Raises Affair Administration Alcoholism Liquor Public Affairs

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Montesquieu well knew, and justly admired, the happy constitution of this country [Great Britain], where fixed and known laws equally restrain monarchy from tyranny and liberty from licentiousness.”

Wells Country Law Known Liberty Constitution Tyranny Fixed Britain Monarchy Great Britain Montesquieu

Author:Lord Chesterfield

Quote by Lord Chesterfield

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