The most familiar and intimate habitudes, connections, friendships, require a degree of good-breeding both to preserve and cement them. Lord Chesterfield More Quotes by Lord Chesterfield More Quotes From Lord Chesterfield Wear your knowledge like your watch - in you pocket - and don't pull it out just for show. Lord Chesterfield pocketslike-youwatches The scholar without good breeding is a pedant; the philosopher, a cynic. Lord Chesterfield pedantsphilosopherphilosophy Real friendship is a slow grower. Lord Chesterfield real-friendshipreal-friendsreal Two people cannot be alone together for upwards of half an hour without one emerging as the superior. Lord Chesterfield communicationtwopeople Civility, which is a disposition to accommodate and oblige others, is essentially the same in every country; but good breeding, asit is called, which is the manner of exerting that disposition, is different in almost every country, and merely local; and every man of sense imitates and conforms to that local good breeding of the place which he is at. Lord Chesterfield differentmencountry Many people come into company full of what they intend to say in it themselves, without the least regard to others; and thus charged up to the muzzle are resolved to let it off at any rate. Lord Chesterfield muzzleegotismpeople I love every-day senses, every-day wit and entertainment; a man who is only good on holidays, is good for very little. Lord Chesterfield holidaylittlesmen An ignorant man is insignificant and contemptible; nobody cares for his company, and he can just be said to live, and that is all. Lord Chesterfield ignorantstupiditymen Ceremony is necessary in Courts, as the outwork and defense of manners. Lord Chesterfield courtesydefensemanners Pocket all your knowledge with your watch, and never pull it out in company unless desired. Lord Chesterfield pocketswatchesknowledge Do as you would be done by, is the surest method of pleasing. Lord Chesterfield methoddonewould-be In nature the most violent passions are silent; in tragedy they must speak and speak with dignity too. Lord Chesterfield dignitypassiontragedy 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. Lord Chesterfield editorsreadingbook In the case of scandal, as in that of robbery, the receiver is always thought as bad as the thief. Lord Chesterfield scandalthievescases People hate who makes you feel one's inferiority. Lord Chesterfield inferiorityhatepeople The power of applying attention, steady and undissipated, to a single object, is the sure mark of superior genius. Lord Chesterfield focusgeniusattention Men have various subjects in which they may excel, or at least would be thought to excel, and though they love to hear justice done to them where they know they excel, yet they are most and best flattered upon those points where they wish to excel and yet are doubtful whether they do or not. Lord Chesterfield justicelovemen Unlike my subject will I frame my song, It shall be witty and it shan't be long. Lord Chesterfield songwittylong Mind not only what people say, but how they say it; and if you have any sagacity, you may discover more truth by your eyes than by your ears. People can say what they will, but they cannot look just as they will; and their looks frequently (reveal) what their words are calculated to conceal. Lord Chesterfield eyemindpeople Silence and reserve suggest latent power. What some men think has more effect than what others say. Lord Chesterfield silencementhinking