Philip Stanhope (1694 – 1773)
British statesman and man of letters.
He adorned whatever subject he either spoke or wrote upon, by the most splendid eloquence.
I wish to God that you had as much pleasure in following my advice, as I have in giving it to you.
The characteristic of a well-bred man is, to converse with his inferiors without insolence, and with his superiors with respect and with ease.
The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel through it one's self to be acquainted with it.
I assisted at the birth of that most significant word "flirtation," which dropped from the most beautiful mouth in the world.
The knowledge of the world is only to be acquired in the world, and not in a closet.
The chapter of knowledge is a very short, but the chapter of accidents is a very long one.
There are some occasions in which a man must tell half his secret, in order to conceal the rest; but there is seldom one in which a man should tell all. Great skill is necessary to know how far to go, and where to stop.
A proper secrecy is the only mystery of able men; mystery is the only secrecy of weak and cunning ones.
Be wiser than other people if you can; but do not tell them so.
We must not suppose that, because a man is a rational animal, he will, therefore, always act rationally; or, because he has such or such a predominant passion, that he will act invariably and consequentially in pursuit of it. No, we are complicated machines; and though we have one main spring that gives motion to the whole, we have an infinity of little wheels, which, in their turns, retard, precipitate, and sometime stop that motion.
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.
Courts and camps are the only places to learn the world in.
Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give luster, and many more people see than weigh.
Idleness is only the refuge of weak minds.
Dispatch is the soul of business.
There is time enough for everything, in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once; but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.
I recommend you to take care of the minutes: for hours will take care of themselves.
The young leading the young, is like the blind leading the blind; “they will both fall into the ditch.”
I am sure that since I have had the full use of my reason, nobody has ever heard me laugh.