Lord Chesterfield
People will, in a great degree, and not without reason, form their opinion of you upon that which they have of your friends; and there is a Spanish proverb which says vry justly, 'Tell me whom you live with, and I will tell you who you are.'Collection: Friendship
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.Collection: Weakness
Knowledge is a comfortable and necessary retreat and shelter for us in an advanced age; and if we do not plant it while young, it will give us no shade when we grow old.Collection: Education
For my own part, I would rather be in company with a dead man than with an absent one; for if the dead man gives me no pleasure, at least he shows me no contempt; whereas the absent one, silently indeed, but very plainly, tells me that he does not think me worth his attention.Collection: Real
We are, in truth, more than half what we are by imitation.Collection: Half
I look upon indolence as a sort of suicide.Collection: Suicide
Though we cannot totally change our nature, we may in great measure correct it by reflection and philosophy; and some philosophy is a very necessary companion in this world, where, even to the most fortunate, the chances are greatly against happiness.Collection: Philosophy
The heart never grows better by age; I fear rather worse; always harder.Collection: Heart
Health ... is the first and greatest of all blessings.Collection: Blessing
I really know nothing more criminal, more mean, and more ridiculous than lying. It is the production either of malice, cowardice, or vanity; and generally misses of its aim in every one of these views; for lies are always detected, sooner or later.Collection: Lying
Style is the dress of thoughts, and let them be ever so just.Collection: Fashion
The mere brute pleasure of reading – the sort of pleasure a cow must have in grazing.Collection: Reading