Prepare yourself for the world, as athletes used to do for their exercises; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the necessary suppleness and flexibility; strength alone will not do. Lord Chesterfield More Quotes by Lord Chesterfield More Quotes From Lord Chesterfield If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old. Lord Chesterfield teaching teacher inspirational Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads. Lord Chesterfield done purpose mind A weak mind is like a microscope, which magnifies trifling things but cannot receive great ones. Lord Chesterfield perspective ignorance education Distrust those who love you extremely upon a slight acquaintance, and without any visible reason. Lord Chesterfield trust love-you friendship Never seem wiser, nor more learned, than the people you are with. Wear your learning, like your watch, in a private pocket: and do not merely pull it out and strike it; merely to show that you have one. Lord Chesterfield pockets learning people Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. Lord Chesterfield standards wells life You must look into people, as well as at them. Lord Chesterfield relationship men people Advice is seldom welcome, and those who need it the most, like it the least. Lord Chesterfield balance advice needs Almost all men are born with every passion to some extent, but there is hardly a man who has not a dominant passion to which the others are subordinate. Discover this governing passion in every individual; and when you have found the master passion of a man, remember never to trust to him where that passion is concerned. Lord Chesterfield passion remember men You must be respectable, if you will be respected. Lord Chesterfield ifs respectable I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves. Lord Chesterfield care time positive If you have an hour, will you not improve that hour, instead of idling it away? Lord Chesterfield growth inspirational life Firmness of purpose is one of the best instruments of success. Lord Chesterfield mazes purpose success Without any extraordinary effort of genius, I have discovered that nature was the same three thousand years ago as at present; that men were but men then as well as now; that modes and customs vary often, but that human nature is always the same. And I can no more suppose, that men were better, braver, or wiser, fifteen hundred or three thousand years ago, than I can suppose that the animals or vegetables were better than they are now. Lord Chesterfield vegetables animal men Wrongs are often forgiven; but contempt never is. Our pride remembers it forever. Lord Chesterfield forgiveness pride forever We are as often duped by diffidence as by confidence. Lord Chesterfield diffidence confidence A man of sense only trifles with them, plays with them, humors and flatters them, as he does with a sprightly and forward child; but he neither consults them about, nor trusts them with, serious matters. Lord Chesterfield play men children Speak of the moderns without contempt and of the ancients without idolatry; judge them all by their merits, but not by their age Lord Chesterfield merit judging age Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Lord Chesterfield motivational positive life Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable. Lord Chesterfield laziness perfection giving
