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Quote by 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.”

Quote by Lord Chesterfield

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Work

Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Lord Chesterfield's Letters is a compilation of the correspondence between the 4th Earl of Chesterfield and his son. These letters provide a unique glimpse into the social and political landscape of 18th-century England, as well as the personal wisdom and advice that Lord Chesterfield imparted to his son. 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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“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

“At any age we must cherish illusions, consolatory or merely pleasant; in youth, they are omnipresent; in old age we must search for them, or even invent them. But with all that, boredom is their natural and inevitable accompaniment.”

Age Natural Youth Illusion Old Age Inevitable Pleasant Boredom Cherish

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“The late Président de Montesquieu told me that he knew how to be blind--he had been so for such a long time--but I swear that I do not know how to be deaf: I cannot get used to it, and I am as humiliated and distressed by it today as I was during the first week. No philosophy in the world can palliate deafness.”

Knows World Firsts Long Philosophy Today Used Know How Week Late Long Time Blind Swear Blindness Deaf Humiliated Deafness Montesquieu

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Many people come into company full of what they intend to say in it themselves, without the least regard to others; and thus charged up to the muzzle are resolved to let it off at any rate.”

People Company Regard Rate Egotism Muzzle

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“I love every-day senses, every-day wit and entertainment; a man who is only good on holidays, is good for very little.”

Men Littles Entertainment Wit Senses Holiday

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“Civility, which is a disposition to accommodate and oblige others, is essentially the same in every country; but good breeding, asit is called, which is the manner of exerting that disposition, is different in almost every country, and merely local; and every man of sense imitates and conforms to that local good breeding of the place which he is at.”

Men Different Country He Man Every Man Locals Manners Conform Disposition Courtesy Civility Breeding Accommodate Good Breeding

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“I have seen many people, who while you are speaking to them, instead, of looking at, and attending to you, fix their eyes upon the ceiling, or some other part of the room, look out of the window, play with a dog, twirl their snuff-box, or pick their nose. Nothing discovers a little, futile, frivolous mind more than this, and nothing is so offensively ill-bred.”

People Mind Looks Littles Play Eye Rooms Dog Picks Window Ill Boxes Manners Noses Etiquette Attending Frivolous Snuff

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Instead of giving in to the greatest misfortune that can happen at my age, deafness, I busy myself in searching out all possible compensations, and I apply myself much more to all the amusements that are here within my grasp.”

Giving Happens Age Busy Misfortunes Amusement Compensation Giving In Deafness

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“Deafness produces bizarre effects, reversing the natural order of things; the interchange of letters is the conversation of the deaf, and the only link with society. I would be in despair, for instance, over seeing you speak, but, instead, I am only too happy to hear you write.”

Writing Would Be Order Speak Natural Seeing Effects Produce Conversation Despair Letters Instance Links Bizarre Deaf Deafness Natural Order Interchange

Author:Lord Chesterfield

“There are people who indulge themselves in a sort of lying, which they reckon innocent, and which in one sense is so; for it hurtsnobody but themselves. This sort of lying is the spurious offspring of vanity, begotten upon folly.”

People Lying Innocent Vanity Folly Indulge Offspring

Book:Lord Chesterfield's Letters

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters