Nothing convinces persons of a weak understanding so effectually, as what they do not comprehend. Lord Chesterfield More Quotes by Lord Chesterfield More Quotes From Lord Chesterfield The permanency of most friendships depends upon the continuity of good fortune. Lord Chesterfield continuityfortunefriendship Vulgarism in language is the distinguishing characteristic of bad company, and a bad education. A man of fashion avoids nothing with more care than that. Proverbial expressions, and trite sayings, are the flowers of the rhetoric of vulgar man. Lord Chesterfield fashionflowermen A man of fashion never has recourse to proverbs, and vulgar aphorisms; uses neither favourite words nor hard words, but takes great care to speak very correctly and grammatically, and to pronounce properly; that is, according to the usage of the best companies. Lord Chesterfield fashionusemen Our prejudices are our mistresses; reason is at best our wife, very often heard indeed, but seldom minded. Lord Chesterfield mistressprejudicewife Men will not believe because they will not broaden their minds. Lord Chesterfield mindmenbelieve Every man becomes, to a certain degree, what the people he generally converses with are. Lord Chesterfield degreesmenpeople Idleness is only the refuge of weak minds. Lord Chesterfield glitterlazinessmind An able man shows his spirit by gentle words and resolute actions. Lord Chesterfield ablespiritmen Choose the company of your superiors whenever you can have it. Lord Chesterfield superiorscompany No man can possibly improve in any company for which he has not respect enough to be under some degree of restraint. Lord Chesterfield degreesenoughmen Assurance and intrepidity, under the white banner of seeming modesty, clear the way for merit, that would otherwise be discouraged by difficulties... Lord Chesterfield meritwhiteway Everything is worth seeing once, and the more one sees the less one either wonders or admires. Lord Chesterfield admireexperiencewonder Most people enjoy the inferiority of their friends. Lord Chesterfield Never seem more learned than the people you are with. Wear your learning like a pocket watch and keep it hidden. Do not pull it out to count the hours, but give the time when you are asked. Lord Chesterfield Common sense is the best sense I know of. Lord Chesterfield I recommend that you take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves. Lord Chesterfield Learning is acquired by reading books, but the much more necessary learning, the knowledge of the world, is only to be acquired by reading men, and studying all the various facets of them. Lord Chesterfield Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore. Lord Chesterfield The knowledge of the world is only to be acquired in the world, and not in a closet. Lord Chesterfield
