I look upon indolence as a sort of suicide. Lord Chesterfield More Quotes by Lord Chesterfield More Quotes From 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. Lord Chesterfield vanity lying people Be wiser than other people if you can; but do not tell them so. Lord Chesterfield wisdom wise life I heartily wish you, in the plain home-spun style, a great number of happy new years, well employed in forming both your mind andyour manners, to be useful and agreeable to yourself, your country, and your friends. Lord Chesterfield new-year home country 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. Lord Chesterfield british grace doubt The vulgar only laugh, but never smile; whereas well-bred people often smile, but seldom laugh. Lord Chesterfield laughter laughing people If you love music hear it; go to operas, concerts, and pay fiddlers to play to you; but I insist upon your neither piping nor fiddling yourself. It puts a gentleman in a very frivolous, contemptible light; brings him into a great deal of bad company; and takes up a great deal of time, which might be much better employed. Lord Chesterfield music light play The manner of a vulgar man has freedom without ease, and the manner of a gentleman has ease without freedom. Lord Chesterfield gentleman ease men I really think next to the consciousness of doing a good action, that of doing a civil one is the most pleasing; and the epithet which I should covet the most next to that of Aristides, would be that of well-bred. Lord Chesterfield next would-be thinking Great merit, or great failings, will make you respected or despised; but trifles, little attentions, mere nothings, either done or neglected, will make you either liked or disliked in the general run of the world. Lord Chesterfield done running attention In order to judge of the inside of others, study your own; for men in general are very much alike; and though one has one prevailing passion, and another has another, yet their operations are much the same; and whatever engages or disgusts, pleases or offends you, in others, will, mutatis mutandis, engage, disgust, please, or offend others, in you. Lord Chesterfield passion men order Sexual intercourse is a grossly overrated pastime; the position is undignified, the pleasure momentary and the consequences damnable. Lord Chesterfield pastime pleasure funny Virtue and learning, like gold, have their intrinsic value: but if they are not polished, they certainly lose a great deal of their luster: and even polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold. Lord Chesterfield inspirational-life gold people Give Dayrolles a chair. Lord Chesterfield last-words chairs giving 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. Lord Chesterfield latin attitude happiness There will never be a better time to start quitting smoking than today Lord Chesterfield encouragement smoking today To have frequent recourse to narrative betrays great want of imagination. Lord Chesterfield betrayed imagination want Gratitude is a burden upon our imperfect nature. Lord Chesterfield imperfect burden gratitude Letters should be easy and natural, and convey to the persons to whom we send them just what we should say to the persons if we were with them. Lord Chesterfield natural easy letters 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. Lord Chesterfield army power thinking Absolute power can only be supported by error, ignorance and prejudice. Lord Chesterfield errors government ignorance
