Samuel Johnson remarked that these letters “teach the morals of a whore, and the manners of a dancing master” — not exactly a rousing endorsement. Nevertheless, I think Lord Chesterfield has some provocative insights. Here’s an assortment of his advice.

1. 7 Tips on How to
Make Friends and
Influence People –
18th Century Version.
Here’s an olde liste, from Lord Chesterfield, a British
statesman and man of letters was very preoccupied with
worldly success. In his Letters, he bombards his son with
advice about how to succeed in society.

2. 1. “Pleasing in company is the only way
of being pleased in it yourself.”

3. 2. “The very same thing may
become either pleasing or
offensive, by the manner of
saying or doing it.”

4. 3. “Even where you are sure, seem rather
doubtful; represent, but do not pronounce,
and if you would convince others,
seem open to conviction yourself.”

5. 4. “You will easily
discover every
man’s prevailing
vanity, by observing
his favourite topic of
conversation; for
every man talks
most of what he has
most a mind to be
thought to excel in.”

6. 5. “The sure way to excel
in any thing, is only to
have a close and
undissipated attention
while you are about it;
and then you need not be
half the time that
otherwise you must…”

7. 6. “Dress is a very foolish thing, and yet it
is a very foolish thing for a man not
to be well dressed.”

8. 7. “Whatever is
worth doing at
all is worth
doing well.”
I disagree here. As part of my resolution to “Enjoy the fun of failure,”
I’ve taken up the motto, “Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.”
There’s merit to both approaches. Once again, it happens,
the opposite of a great truth is also true.

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