Home / Quotes / Quote by Lord Chesterfield

Quote by Lord Chesterfield

“The most ignorant are the boldest conjecturers.”

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

“Smooth your way to the head through the heart. The way of reason is a good one: but it is commonly something longer, and perhapsnot so sure.”

Way Heart Reason Compassion Smooth

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Lady ---- is safely delivered of a son, to the great joy of that noble family. The expression, of a woman's having brought her husband a son, seems to be a proper and cautious one; for it is never said, from whence.”

Said Seems Joy Son Expression Birth Husband Noble Cautious Great Joy

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“I do not think that a Physician should be admitted into the College till he could bring proofs of his having cured, in his own person, at least four incurable distempers.”

Thinking Should Persons Four College Doctors Medicine Proof Physicians

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Keep your hands clean and pure from the infamous vice of corruption, a vice so infamous that it degrades even the other vices thatmay accompany it. Accept no present whatever; let your character in that respect be transparent and without the least speck, for as avarice is the vilest and dirtiest vice in private, corruption is so in public life.”

Character Hands Accepting Pure Clean Greed Vices Corruption Transparent Public Life Avarice Accompany Degrade Specks Infamous

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“Deserve a great deal, and you shall have a great deal; deserve little, and you shall have but a little; and be good for nothing atall, and I assure you, you shall have nothing at all.”

Littles Deals Deserve Rewards Be Good Generosity

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“The only sure way of avoiding these evils [vanity and boasting] is never to speak of yourself at all. But when, historically, youare obliged to mention yourself, take care not to drop one single word that can directly or indirectly be construed as fishing for applause.”

Way Care Evil Speak Take Care Vanity Fishing Avoiding Boast Obliged Egotism Applause Single Word

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“How often should a woman be pregnant? Continually, or hardly ever? Or must there be a certain number of pregnancy anniversaries established by fashion? What do you, at the age of forty-three, have to say on the subject? Is it a fact that the laws of nature, or of the country, or of propriety, have ordained this time of life for sterility?”

Should Country Facts Age Law Certain Three Numbers Subjects Fashion Forty Pregnancy Pregnant Laws Of Nature Propriety

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“It may be objected, that I am now recommending dissimulation to you; I both own and justify it. It has been long said: Qui nescitdissimular nescit regnare: I go still farther, and say, that without some dissimulation, no business can be carried on at all.”

May Long Has Beens Said Stills Lying Deceit Justify Dishonesty

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Learn to shrink yourself to the size of the company you are in. Take their tone, whatever it may be, and excell in it if you can;but never pretend to give the tone. A free conversation will no more bear a dictator than a free government will.”

Ifs Giving May Government Company Bears Conversation Size Tone Dictator Shrinks Free Government

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“Little minds mistake little objects for great ones, and lavish away upon the former that time and attention which only the latterdeserve. To such mistakes we owe the numerous and frivolous tribe of insect-mongers, shell-mongers, and pursuers and driers of butterflies, etc. The strong mind distinguishes, not only between the useful and the useless, but likewise between the useful and the curious.”

Mind Littles Strong Attention Mistake Objects Addiction Curious Former Useless Etc Butterfly Shells Tribes Insects Futility Great Ones Frivolous Little Minds Strong Mind

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters