520 Quotes by Lord Chesterfield

An injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult.

In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it - thou art a fool.

In matters of religion and matrimony I never give advice, because I will not have anybody's torments in this world or the next laid to my charge.

Ridicule is the best test of truth.

Common sense (which, in truth, is very uncommon) is the best sense I know of: abide by it; it will counsel you best.

Take care in your minutes, and the hours will take care of themselves.

There is no living in the world without a complaisant indulgence for people's weaknesses, and innocent, though ridiculous vanities. If a man has a mind to be thought wiser, and a woman handsomer, than they really are, their error is a comfortable one to themselves, and an innocent one with regard to other people; and I would rather make them my friends by indulging them in it it, than my enemies, by endeavouring, and that to no purpose, to undeceive them.

I give my vote for Mr. Johnson to fill that great and arduous post. And I hereby declare that I make a total surrender of all my rights and privileges in the English language, as a freeborn British subject, to the said Mr. Johnson, during the term of his dictatorship. Nay more; I will not only obey him, like an old Roman, as my dictator, but, like a modern Roman, I will implicitly believe in him as my pope, and hold him to be infallible while in the chair; but no longer.

If you love music hear it; go to operas, concerts, and pay fiddlers to play to you; but I insist upon your neither piping nor fiddling yourself. It puts a gentleman in a very frivolous, contemptible light; brings him into a great deal of bad company; and takes up a great deal of time, which might be much better employed.