Home / Quotes / Quote by Lord Chesterfield

Quote by Lord Chesterfield

“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.”

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

You May Also Like

“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

“The New Year is the season in which custom seems more particularly to authorize civil and harmless lies, under the name of compliments. People reciprocally profess wishes which they seldom form and concern which they seldom feel.”

People Feels Years Seems Form Lying Names Wish Concern Seasons Hypocrisy Customs Compliment New Year

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“This is the day when people reciprocally offer, and receive, the kindest and the warmest wishes, though, in general, without meaning them on one side, or believing them on the other. They are formed by the head, in compliance with custom, though disavowed by the heart, in consequence of nature.”

People Believe Heart Wish Sides Offers Consequence Hypocrisy Customs New Year Compliance

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

“Good breeding and good nature do incline us rather to help and raise people up to ourselves, than to mortify and depress them, and, in truth, our own private interest concurs in it, as it is making ourselves so many friends, instead of so many enemies.”

People Helping Interest Enemy Friends Behavior Raises Manners Depressing Breeding Many Friends Incline Good Nature Good Breeding Concur

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