Quote

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.

Lord Chesterfield

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Lord Chesterfield
Done
Enemies
Difficulty
Ought
Greatest
Enemy
Concealed
Friends
Difficulties
War
Required
Art
Civil

More quotes by Lord Chesterfield

Image
A man must have a good share of wit himself to endure a great share in another.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
It must be owned, that the Graces do not seem to be natives of Great Britain and I doubt, the best of us here have more of rough than polished diamond.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
Women who are either indisputably beautiful, or indisputably ugly, are best flattered upon the score of their understandings but those who are in a state of mediocrity are best flattered upon their beauty, or at least their graces for every woman who is not absolutely ugly thinks herself handsome.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
The only solid and lasting peace between a man and his wife is, doubtless, a separation.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
Human nature is the same everywhere the modes only are different.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
If originally it was not good for a man to be alone, it is much worse for a sick man to be so he thinks too much of his distemper, and magnifies it.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
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
Image
Good humor is the health of the soul, sadness is its poison.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
The possibility of remedying imprudent actions is commonly an inducement to commit them.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
In friendship, as well as in love, the mind is often the dupe of the heart.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
In order to judge of the inside of others, study your own for men in general are very much alike and though one has one prevailing passion, and another has another, yet their operations are much the same and whatever engages or disgusts, pleases or offends you, in others, will, mutatis mutandis, engage, disgust, please, or offend others, in you.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
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.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
If you will please people, you must please them in their own way.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
The permanency of most friendships depends upon the continuity of good fortune.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
Virtue and learning, like gold, have their intrinsic value: but if they are not polished, they certainly lose a great deal of their luster: and even polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
Men will not believe because they will not broaden their minds.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
Remember, as long as you live, that nothing but strict truth can carry you through the world, with either your conscience or your honor unwounded.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
Most arts require long study and application, but the most useful art of all, that of pleasing, requires only the desire.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old.
Lord Chesterfield
Image
A man who owes a little can clear it off in a very little time, and, if he is a prudent man, will whereas a man, who by long negligence, owes a great deal, despairs of ever being able to pay, and therefore never looks into his accounts at all.
Lord Chesterfield