Letters to His Son: On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman, Band 2

Cover

Im Buch

Andere Ausgaben - Alle anzeigen

Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen

Beliebte Passagen

Seite 401 - You should not only have attention to everything, but a quickness of attention, so as to observe, at once, all the people in the room ; their motions, their looks, and their words ; and yet without staring at them, and seeming to be an observer. This quick and unobserved observation is of infinite advantage in life, and is to be acquired with care ; and, on the contrary, what is called absence, which is...
Seite 428 - ... conform; and then they should be able to do it well. And, though I would not have you a dancer, yet, when you do dance, I would have you dance well, as I would have you do everything you do, well. There is no one thing so trifling, but which (if it is to be done at all) ought to be done well. And I have often told you, that I wished you even played at pitch, and cricket, better than any boy at Westminster. For instance; dress is a very foolish thing; and yet it is a very foolish thing for a man...
Seite 302 - For my part, I never saw a froward child mended by whipping : and I would not have the mother country become a stepmother.
Seite 435 - Almost all people are born with all the passions, to a certain degree ; but almost every man 'has a prevailing one, to which the others are subordinate. Search every one for that ruling passion; pry into the recesses of his heart, and observe the different workings of the same passion in different people. And, when you have found out the prevailing passion of any man, remember never to trust him, where that passion is concerned.
Seite 400 - However trifling a genteel manner may sound, it is of very great consequence towards pleasing in private life, especially the women, which, one time or other, you will think worth pleasing...
Seite 5 - I am not sure, but I believe, I should rather think, &c. Finish any argument or dispute with some little goodhumoured pleasantry, to show that you are neither hurt yourself, nor meant to hurt your antagonist; for an argument kept up a good while often occasions a temporary alienation on each side.
Seite 326 - ... that there was no such thing as a borough to be had now, for that the rich East and West Indians had secured them all, at the rate of three thousand pounds at least ; but many at four thousand, and two or three that he knew, at five thousand. This, I confess, has vexed me a good deal...
Seite 375 - I would wish, however, to give you an idea of it suitable to your age.* The first thing you should attend to is, to speak whatever language you do speak, in its greatest purity, and according to the rules of grammar; for we must never offend against grammar, nor make use of words which are not really words. This is not all ; for not to speak ill, is not sufficient ; we must speak well ; and the best method of attaining to that, is to read the best authors with attention ; and to observe how people...
Seite 169 - Parliament; the Parliament never will forgive them. The Army must, without doubt, take, in their own minds at least, different parts in all these disputes, which, upon occasion, would break out. Armies, though always the supporters and tools of absolute power for the time being, are always the destroyers of it too ; by frequently changing the hands in which they think proper to lodge it.
Seite 397 - Know then, that as learning, honor, and virtue are absolutely necessary to gain you the esteem and admiration of mankind, politeness and good breeding are equally necessary to make you welcome and agreeable in conversation and common life. Great talents, such as honor, virtue, learning, and parts, are above the generality of the world ; who neither possess them themselves, nor judge of them rightly in others : but all people are judges of the lesser talents, such as civility, affability, and an obliging,...

Bibliografische Informationen