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Quote by Lord Chesterfield

“One of the greatest difficulties in civil war is, that more art is required to know what should be concealed from our friends, than what ought to be done against our enemies.”

Quote by Lord Chesterfield

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

Work

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

The book is a compilation of Lord Chesterfield's correspondence with his son, offering insights into his personal and philosophical views. It is preceded by a biography that provides background on the author's life. more

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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“I could wish there were a treaty made between the French and the English theatres, in which both parties should make considerableconcessions. The English ought to give up their notorious violations of the unities, and all their massacres, racks, dead bodies, and mangled carcasses, which they so frequently exhibit upon their stage. The French should engage to have more action, and less declamation, and not to cram and to crowd things together to almost a degree of impossibility from a too scrupulous adherence to the unities.”

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“Singularity is only pardonable in old age and retirement; I may now be as singular as I please, but you may not.”

May Age Please Old Age Retirement Individualism Singularity

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“I am in the pitiable situation of feeling all the force of temptation without having the strength to succumb to it.”

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Author:Lord Chesterfield

“All ceremonies are in themselves very silly things; but yet, a man of the world should know them. They are the outworks of Mannersand Decency, which would be too often broken in upon, if it were not for that defence, which keeps the enemy at a proper distance.”

Ifs Knows Men World Should Would Be Enemy Broken Distance Silly Ceremony Decency Defence Silly Things

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“A certain degree of ceremony is a necessary outwork of manners, as well as of religion; it keeps the forward and petulant at a proper distance, and is a very small restraint to the sensible and to the well-bred part of the world.”

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Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Endeavor, as much as you can, to keep company with people above you.... Do not mistake, when I say company above you, and think that I mean with regard to their birth; that is the least consideration; but I mean with regard to their merit, and the light in which the world considers them.”

People Thinking World Mean Light Mistake Company Birth Regard Merit Consideration Endeavor

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“There is a certain jargon, which, in French, I should call un Persiflage d'Affaires, that a foreign Minister ought to be perfectlymaster of, and may be used very advantageously at great entertainments, in mixed companies, and in all occasions where he must speak, and should say nothing. Well turned and well spoken, it seems to mean something, though in truth it means nothing. It is a kind of political badinage, which prevents or removes a thousand difficulties, to which a foreign Minister is exposed in mixed conversations.”

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Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Never write down your speeches beforehand; if you do, you may perhaps be a good declaimer, but will never be a debater.”

Ifs Writing May Speech

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“The French manner of hunting is gentlemanlike; ours is only for bumpkins and bodies. The poor beasts here are pursued and run downby much greater beasts than themselves; and the true British fox-hunter is most undoubtedly a species appropriated and peculiar to this country, which no other part of the globe produces.”

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Author:Lord Chesterfield

“In the course of the world, a man must very often put on an easy, frank countenance, upon very disagreeable occasions; he must seem pleased, when he is very much otherwise; he must be able to accost and receive with smiles, those whom he would much rather meet with swords.”

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Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters