Lord Chesterfield
The Quote in Other Words
I am afraid that as we age, our hearts do not improve but rather worsen and become harder. A person who lies when they are young will continue to do so when they are old, and a young dishonest person will only become more deceitful as they age.
Explanation of the Quote
The quote “The heart never grows better by age I fear rather worse, always harder” suggests that as we age, our hearts become more hardened and less compassionate. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as life experiences that have caused us pain or disappointment, or simply the natural process of becoming more set in our ways as we get older.
The second part of the quote, “A young liar will be an old one, and a young knave will only be a greater knave as he grows older,” reinforces this idea by suggesting that negative character traits tend to become more entrenched over time. This is a sobering thought, but it also highlights the importance of cultivating positive qualities like honesty and integrity from a young age.
Overall, this quote reminds us that we should strive to keep our hearts open and compassionate throughout our lives, and that the choices we make when we are young can have a profound impact on who we become as we age.