Smooth your way to the head through the heart. The way of reason is a good one: but it is commonly something longer, and perhapsnot so sure. Lord Chesterfield More Quotes by Lord Chesterfield More Quotes From 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. Lord Chesterfield tone government giving Women especially as to be talked to as below men, and above children. Lord Chesterfield women men children It is by vivacity and wit that man shines in company; but trite jokes and loud laughter reduce him to a buffoon. Lord Chesterfield laughter shining men Ugliness is a letter of credit for some special purposes. Lord Chesterfield credit purpose special Next to clothes being fine, they should be well made, and worn easily; for a man is only the less genteel for a fine coat, if, in wearing it, he shows a regard for it, and is not as easy in it as if it was a plain one. Lord Chesterfield coats clothes men The greatest powers cannot injure a man's character whose reputation is unblemished among his party. Lord Chesterfield party character men A man's fortune is frequently decided by his first address. If pleasing, others at once conclude he has merit; but if ungraceful, they decide against him. Lord Chesterfield pleasing-others merit men When I reflect upon what I have seen, what I have heard, what I have done, I can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle and pleasure of the world had any reality; and I look on what has passed as one of those wild dreams which opium occasions, and I by no means wish to repeat the nauseous dose for the sake of the fugitive illusion. Lord Chesterfield dream life mean Compliments of congratulation are always kindly taken, and cost nothing but pen, ink and paper. I consider them as draughts upon good breeding, where the exchange is always greatly in favor of the drawer. Lord Chesterfield ink-and-paper congratulations taken Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Lord Chesterfield grief happiness men I am grown old, and have possibly lost a great deal of that fire, which formerly made me love fire in others at any rate, and however attended with smoke: but now I must have all sense, and cannot, for the sake of five righteous lines, forgive a thousand absurd ones. Lord Chesterfield forgiving poetry fire Sculpture and painting are very justly called liberal arts; a lively and strong imagination, together with a just observation, being absolutely necessary to excel in either; which, in my opinion, is by no means the case of music, though called a liberal art, and now in Italy placed even above the other two--a proof of the decline of that country. Lord Chesterfield music country art Good manners, to those one does not love, are no more a breach of truth, than "your humble servant," at the bottom of a challengeis; they are universally agreed upon, and understand to be things of course. They are necessary guards of the decency and peace of society. Lord Chesterfield good-man truth humble I am provoked at the contempt which most historians show for humanity in general; one would think by them, that the whole human species consisted but of about a hundred and fifty people, called and dignified (commonly very undeservedly too) by the titles of Emperors, Kings, Popes, Generals, and Ministers. Lord Chesterfield kings people thinking In friendship, as well as in love, the mind is often the dupe of the heart. Lord Chesterfield heart love friendship Ties of blood are not always ties of friendship; but friendship founded on merit, on esteem, and on mutual trust, becomes more vital and more tender when strengthened by the ties of blood. Lord Chesterfield ties friendship blood You must labour to acquire that great and uncommon talent of hating with good breeding, and loving with prudence; to make no quarrel irreconcilable by silly and unnecessary indications of anger; and no friendship dangerous, in care it breaks, by a wanton, indiscreet, and unreserved confidence. Lord Chesterfield hate silly love Indifference is commonly the mother of discretion. Lord Chesterfield indifference wisdom mother The best way to compel weak-minded people to adopt our opinion, is to frighten them from all others, by magnifying their danger. Lord Chesterfield fear people way True politeness is perfect ease and freedom. It simply consists in treating others just as you love to be treated yourself. Lord Chesterfield treating-others perfect ease
