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In the mass of mankind, I fear, there is too great a majority of fools and knaves who, singly from their number, must to a certain degree be respected, though they are by no means respectable.
Lord Chesterfield
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More quotes by Lord Chesterfield
Dispatch is the soul of business, and nothing contributes more to dispatch than method.
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One of the greatest difficulties in civil war is, that more art is required to know what should be concealed from our friends, than what ought to be done against our enemies.
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The manner of a vulgar man has freedom without ease, and the manner of a gentleman has ease without freedom.
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Ceremony is necessary in Courts, as the outwork and defense of manners.
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Indifference is commonly the mother of discretion.
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A novel must be exceptionally good to live as long as the average cat.
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The difference between a man of sense and a fop is that the fop values himself upon his dress and the man of sense laughs at it, at the same time he knows he must not neglect it.
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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.
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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.
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Statesmen and beauties are very rarely sensible of the gradations of their decay.
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Love has been not unaptly compared to the small-pox, which most people have sooner or later.
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Not to perceive the little weaknesses and the idle but innocent affectations of the company may be allowable as a sort of polite duty. The company will be pleased with you if you do, and most probably will not be reformed by you if you do not.
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Violent measures are always dangerous, but, when necessary, may then be looked on as wise. They have, however, the advantage of never being matter of indifference and, when well concerted, must be decisive.
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Silence and reserve suggest latent power. What some men think has more effect than what others say.
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You should not only have attention to everything, but a quickness of attention, so as to observe at once all the people in the room--their motions, their looks and their words--and yet without staring at them and seeming to be an observer.
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Knowledge of the world in only to be acquired in the world, and not in a closet.
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 canbut never pretend to give the tone. A free conversation will no more bear a dictator than a free government will.
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Few fathers care much for their sons, or at least, most of them care more for their money. Of those who really love their sons, few know how to do it.
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I wish... that you had as much pleasure in following my advice, as I have in giving it.
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The heart has such an influence over the understanding, that it is worth while to engage it in our interest.
Lord Chesterfield