Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield Quotes

When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind, as to [profess] things he does not believe, he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.

In adultery, there is usually tenderness and self-sacrifice; in murder, courage; in profanation and blasphemy, a certain satanic splendour. Judas elected those offences unvisited by any virtues: abuse of confidence and informing.

I think the greatest rogues are they who talk most of their honesty.

Between a fellow who is stupid and honest and one who is smart and crooked, I will take the first. I won't get much out of him, but with that other guy I can't keep what I've got.

Whenever there are great virtues, it's a sure sign something's wrong.

Behavior which appears superficially correct but is intrinsically corrupt always irritates those who see below the surface.

The man who promises everything is sure to fulfil nothing, and everyone who promises too much is in danger of using evil means in order to carry out his promises, and is already on the road to perdition.

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

He who cheats others is a knave, but he who cheats himself is a fool.

When I saw corruption, I was forced to find truth on my own. I couldn't swallow the hypocrisy.

Because hypocrisy stinks in the nostrils one is likely to rate it as a more powerful agent for destruction than it is.

And you shall take no bribe; for the bribe blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous:

There is hardly a single person in the House of Commons worth painting; though many of them would be better for a little whitewashing.

Hypocrisy is a fearful evil, and every thing which has a tendency to produce it should be avoided.

In Indian politics, deception seems a byword. I'll have none of that.

Dishonesty, lack of integrity catches up with you.

When you're surrounded by a world of constant lies, manipulation, and deceit, that dark energy is bound to seep into you eventually.

Even a little untruth destroys a man, as a drop of poison ruins milk.

Of all things in the world that stink in the nostrils of men, hypocrisy is the worst.

When one feels no shame in telling a deliberate lie, there is no evil, I tell you, he will not do.

He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world's believing him. This falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good dispositions.

People have a moral standard about what they will do and will not do. At the end of the day someone who cheats has a lower moral standard than someone who does not. And they will cheat in other areas of life as well.

The higher the building the lower the morals.

The more people rationalize cheating, the more it becomes a culture of dishonesty. And that can become a vicious, downward cycle. Because suddenly, if everyone else is cheating, you feel a need to cheat, too.

He who says there is no such thing as an honest man, you may be sure is himself a knave.