Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield quotes - page 7

Whoever incites anger has a strong insurance against indifference.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

In the case of scandal as in that of robbery, the receiver is always thought as bad as the thief.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Little, vicious minds abound with anger and revenge, and are incapable of feeling the pleasure of forgiving their enemies.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

I knew a gentleman who was so good a manager of his time that he would not even lose that small portion of it which the calls of nature obliged him to pass in the necessary-house but gradually went through all the Latin poets in those moments.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Those who travel heedlessly from place to place, observing only their distance from each other, and attending only to their accommodation at the inn at night, set out fools, and will certainly return so.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Every man becomes, to a certain degree, what the people he generally converses with are.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

There never were, since the creation of the world, two cases exactly parallel.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

An ignorant man is insignificant and contemptible nobody cares for his company, and he can just be said to live, and that is all.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Ceremony is necessary in Courts, as the outwork and defense of manners.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

You must embrace the man you hate, if you cannot be justified in knocking him down.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

History is but a confused heap of facts.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Men will not believe because they will not broaden their minds.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Let your enemies be disarmed by the gentleness of your manner, but at the same time let them feel, the steadiness of your resentment.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Observe it, the vulgar often laugh, but never smile, whereas well-bred people often smile, and seldom or never laugh. A witty thing never excited laughter, it pleases only the mind and never distorts the countenance.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

A man's own good breeding is the best security against other people's ill manners.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

For my own part, I would rather be in company with a dead man than with an absent one for if the dead man gives me no pleasure, at least he shows me no contempt whereas the absent one, silently indeed, but very plainly, tells me that he does not think me worth his attention.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

It must be owned, that the Graces do not seem to be natives of Great Britain and I doubt, the best of us here have more of rough than polished diamond.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Wrongs are often forgiven, but contempt never is. Our pride remembers it forever. It implies a discovery of weakness, which we are more careful to conceal than a crime. Many a man will confess his crimes to a friend but I never knew a man that would tell his silly weaknesses to his most intimate one.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Buy good books, and read them the best books are the commonest, and the last editions are always the best, if the editors are not blockheads.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Whenever a man seeks your advice he generally seeks your praise.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Pocket all your knowledge with your watch, and never pull it out in company unless desired.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

At twelve you may walk, for at this time o' the year, The sun like your wit, is as mild, as 'tis clear: But mark in the meadows the ruin of Time; Take the hint, and let life be improv'd in its prime.

Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield