author
Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
1694–1773
Best remembered for his sharply observant letters on manners, ambition, and social grace, this 18th-century statesman turned practical advice into lasting literature. His writing still feels lively because it mixes polished wit with a very clear-eyed view of how the world works.
15 Audiobooks
Quotes and Images from Chesterfield's Letters to His Son
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Principles of politeness, and of knowing the world
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, Complete On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1756-58 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters, sentences and maxims
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1749 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Widger's Quotations from the Project Gutenberg Editions of the Works of Lord Chesterfield
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1766-71 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1751 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1750 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1746-47 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1753-54 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1759-65 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1752 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
Letters to His Son, 1748 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
by Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
About the author
A leading British politician, diplomat, and writer of the 18th century, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield was born in London on September 22, 1694, and died there on March 24, 1773. He served in public life as a statesman and diplomat, and is also associated with service in Ireland as lord lieutenant.
Today he is remembered above all for Letters to His Son and later Letters to His Godson. Published after his death, these works made his name famous far beyond politics. They offered advice on conversation, manners, education, and advancement, combining elegance, discipline, and worldly caution.
His reputation has lasted because the letters are more than period curiosities: they show a brilliant, sometimes demanding mind trying to explain how charm, judgment, and self-command can shape a life. Whether readers admire or question his values, his voice remains one of the most distinctive in English literary and social history.