Quote by Lord Chesterfield

A man of sense only trifles with them, plays with them, humors and flatters them, as he does with a sprightly and forward child; but he neither consults them about, nor trusts them with, serious matters.

A man of sense only trifles with them, plays with them, humo

Summary

This quote suggests that a wise person treats foolish or whimsical individuals lightly and indulgently, much like a playful child. However, the wise person also recognizes the limitations of such individuals and does not involve them in important or significant matters. They may entertain their ideas or opinions on trivial matters but understand that consulting or relying on them in serious affairs may lead to unwise decisions.

Topics

Men & Women

By Lord Chesterfield

Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.

Random Quotations

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

Henry David Thoreau

The switch from 'steam engines' to 'heat engines' signals th

The switch from 'steam engines' to 'heat engines' signals the transition from engineering practice to theoretical science.

Hans Christian von Baeyer

Science

I love being black in America, and especially being black in

I love being black in America, and especially being black in Hollywood.

Love

The best thing that ever happened to me is that nothing happ

The best thing that ever happened to me is that nothing happened in writing. I ended up working for engineering companies, and that's where I found my material, in the everyday struggle between capitalism and grace. Being broke and tired, you don't come home your best self.

George Saunders

Man

My brother Bob doesn't want to be in government - he promise

My brother Bob doesn't want to be in government - he promised Dad he'd go straight.

John F. Kennedy

Dad

People's - most people's job is talking about the future or

People's - most people's job is talking about the future or like money not even in the present tense. It's not even paper.

Future

The world is seldom what it seems to man, who dimly sees, re

The world is seldom what it seems to man, who dimly sees, realities appear as dreams, and dreams realities.

The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are

The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.

The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels w

The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till the other is ready, and it may be along time before they get off.

Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 185

I believe I went through a divorce. My relationship with Ell

I believe I went through a divorce. My relationship with Ellen is no less significant as a marriage than my relationship to Coley.

Marriage

Much of the ill-tempered railing against women that has char

Much of the ill-tempered railing against women that has characterized the popular writing of the last two years is a half-hearted attempt to find a way back to a more balanced relationship between our biological selves and the world we have built. So women are scolded both for being mothers and for not being mothers, for wanting to eat their cake and have it too, and for not wanting to eat their cake and have it too.

Sex

Every time I think I have something under control, it change

Every time I think I have something under control, it changes and I don't have it under control. I think it takes several years to get there. Jade is 19 months old, so right now I'm on alert all the time. And as a mom I think you're constantly worrying about things.

Giada De Laurentiis

Mom