Who said “Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like it the least.”?

Verified

Lord Chesterfield. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774), 29 January 1748

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“Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like it the least.”
— Lord Chesterfield
VerifiedLetters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774), 29 January 1748 · evidenceAdvice
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774), 29 January 1748.

APA

Chesterfield, L. (n.d.). Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like it the least. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2286-advice-is-seldom-welcome-and-those-who-want/

MLA

Chesterfield, Lord. “Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like it the least.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2286-advice-is-seldom-welcome-and-those-who-want/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Chesterfield, Lord. “Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like it the least.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/2286-advice-is-seldom-welcome-and-those-who-want/.

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More quotes by Lord Chesterfield

“Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.”
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“Be wiser than other people, if you can; but do not tell them so.”
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