Who said “Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give luster, and many more people see…”?

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), 8 May 1750

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“Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give luster, and many more people see than weigh.”
— Lord Chesterfield
VerifiedLetters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774), 8 May 1750 · evidenceKnowledge
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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), 8 May 1750.

APA

Chesterfield, L. (n.d.). Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give luster, and many more people see than weigh. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25225-knowledge-may-give-weight-but-accomplishments-give-luster/

MLA

Chesterfield, Lord. “Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give luster, and many more people see than weigh.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25225-knowledge-may-give-weight-but-accomplishments-give-luster/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Chesterfield, Lord. “Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give luster, and many more people see than weigh.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25225-knowledge-may-give-weight-but-accomplishments-give-luster/.

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“Be wiser than other people, if you can; but do not tell them so.”
VerifiedLetters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774), 19 November 1745 · evidenceDetails & citeDiscretion
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“Manners must adorn knowledge, and smooth its way through the world.”
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