Most people have ears, but few have judgment; tickle those ears, and depend upon it, you will catch those judgments, such as they are.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Speakers and Speaking]

Style is the dress of thoughts; and let them be ever so just, if your style is homely, coarse, and vulgar, they will appear to as much disadvantage, and be as ill received, as your person, though ever so well-proportioned, would if dressed in rags, dirt, and tatters.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Style]

The world can doubtless never be well known by theory: practice is absolutely necessary; but surely it is of great use to a young man, before he sets out for that country, full of mazes, windings, and turnings, to have at least a general map of it, made by some experienced traveler.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Theory]

I recommend you to take care of the minutes, for the hours will take care of themselves.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Time and Time Management]

Take care in your minutes, and the hours will take care of themselves.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Time and Time Management]

The less one has to do, the less time one finds to do it in.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Time and Time Management]

Let them show me a cottage where there are not the same vices of which they accuse the courts.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Vice]

Vice, in its true light, is so deformed, that it shocks us at first sight; and would hardly ever seduce us, if it did not at first wear the mask of some virtue.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Vice]

Patience is the most necessary quality for business, many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Patience]

Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Perfection]

Persist and persevere, and you will find most things that are attainable, possible.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Perseverance]

He makes people pleased with him by making them first pleased with themselves.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Persuasion]

If you would convince others, seem open to conviction yourself.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Persuasion]

Pleasure is a necessary reciprocal. No one feels, who does not at the same time give it. To be pleased, one must please. What pleases you in others, will in general please them in you.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Pleasure]

Our prejudices are our mistresses; reason is at best our wife, very often heard indeed, but seldom minded.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Prejudice]

Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no delay, no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Punctuality]

If you can once engage people's pride, love, pity, ambition (or whatever is their prevailing passion) on your side, you need not fear what their reason can do against you.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Reason]

Lord Tyrawley and I have been dead these two years, but we don't choose to have it known.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Retirement]

It is commonly said that ridicule is the best test of truth; for that it will not stick where it is not just. I deny it. A truth learned in a certain light, and attacked in certain words, by men of wit and humor, may, and often doth, become ridiculous, at least so far, that the truth is only remembered and repeated for the sake of the ridicule.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Ridicule]

In the case of scandal, as in that of robbery, the receiver is always thought as bad as the thief.
~ Lord Chesterfield - [Scandal]