Who said “The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel…”?

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), 2 October 1747

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“The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel through it one's self to be acquainted with it.”
— Lord Chesterfield
VerifiedLetters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774), 2 October 1747 · evidenceWorld
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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), 2 October 1747.

APA

Chesterfield, L. (n.d.). The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel through it one's self to be acquainted with it. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42679-the-world-is-a-country-which-nobody-ever/

MLA

Chesterfield, Lord. “The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel through it one's self to be acquainted with it.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42679-the-world-is-a-country-which-nobody-ever/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Chesterfield, Lord. “The world is a country which nobody ever yet knew by description; one must travel through it one's self to be acquainted with it.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42679-the-world-is-a-country-which-nobody-ever/.

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“Manners must adorn knowledge, and smooth its way through the world.”
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