If we all said to people’s faces what we say behind one another’s backs, society would be impossible.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
Gossip is the Devil’s radio.
—George Harrison (1943–2001) English Singer
Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you.
—Spanish Proverb
The objection of the scandalmonger is not that she tells of racy doings, but that she pretends to be indignant about them.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
What you don’t see with your eyes, don’t witness with your mouth.
—Yiddish Proverb
Gossip needn’t be false to be evil – there’s a lot of truth that shouldn’t be passed around.
—Frank A. Clark
Anyone who has obeyed nature by transmitting a piece of gossip experiences the explosive relief that accompanies the satisfying of a primary need.
—Primo Levi (1919–87) Italian Novelist, Poet, Chemist
The flying rumors gathered as they rolled, and all who told it added something new, and all who heard it made enlargement too; in every ear it spreads, on every tongue it grew.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
He who hunts for flowers will finds flowers; and he who loves weeds will find weeds.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Nothing travels faster than light, with the possible exception of bad news, which follows its own rules.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
Vilify, Vilify, some of it will always stick.
—Pierre Beaumarchais (1732–99) French Inventor, Diplomat, Musician, Fugitive, Revolutionary
Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend’s friend has a friend; be discreet.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
At every word a reputation dies.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Your friend has a friend; don’t tell him.
—Chinese Proverb
When of a gossiping circle it was asked, What are they doing? The answer was, Swapping lies.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816) Irish-born British Playwright, Poet, Elected Rep
Speak no evil of the dead.
—Chilon of Sparta (c.556 BCE) Spartan Magistrate
There are two good rules which ought to be written on every heart; never to believe anything bad about anybody unless you positively know it to be true; and never to tell that unless you feel that it is absolutely necessary, and that God is listening while you tell it.
—Henry van Dyke Jr. (1852–1933) American Author, Educator, Clergyman
For prying into any human affairs, non are equal to those whom it does not concern.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
Live so that you wouldn
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they please.
—Pythagoras (570–495 BCE) Greek Philosopher
Gossip is what no one claims to like—but everyone enjoys.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
With well doing you may put to silence foolish men.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Everyone realizes that one can believe little of what people say about each other. But it is not so widely realized that even less can one trust what people say about themselves.
—Rebecca West (1892–1983) English Author, Journalist, Literary Critic
Men have always detested women’s gossip because they suspect the truth: their measurements are being taken and compared.
—Erica Jong (b.1942) American Novelist, Feminist
Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Let the greatest part of the news thou nearest be the least part of what thou believest; lest the greatest part of what thou believest be the least part of what is true. Where lies are easily admitted, the father of lies will not easily be kept out.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
Gossip is sometimes referred to as halitosis of the mind.
—Unknown
Young people do not perceive at once that the giver of wounds is the enemy and the quoted tattle merely the arrow.
—Unknown
The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
In private life I never knew anyone interfere with other people’s disputes but he heartily repented of it.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
No one gossips about other people’s secret virtues.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
One eye witness is better than ten hear sayers.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
Never trust the teller, trust the tale.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
Fire and sword are but slow engines of destruction in comparison with the babbler.
—Richard Steele (1672–1729) Irish Writer, Politician
I don’t care what anybody says about me as long as it isn’t true.
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist
There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
One’s own vanities and humiliations I find a delicious subject for conversation. Things said of me behind my back I don’t enjoy, and don’t listen to them.
—Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) American-British Essayist, Bibliophile
There is a set of malicious, prating, prudent gossips, both male and female, who murder characters to kill time; and will rob a young fellow of his good name before he has years to know the value of it.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816) Irish-born British Playwright, Poet, Elected Rep
The things most people want to know about are usually none of their business.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Gossip has been well defined as putting two and two together, and making it five.
—Anonymous
Nobody’s interested in sweetness and light.
—Hedda Hopper (1885–1966) American Actress, Gossip Columnist
If you are told that such an one speaks ill of you, make no defense against what was said, but answer, “He surely knew not my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these only!”
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Shun the inquisitive, for you will be sure to find him leaky. Open ears do not keep conscientiously what has been intrusted to them, and a word once spoken flies, never to be recalled.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
If I maintain my silence about my secret it is my prisoner… if I let it slip from my tongue, I am its prisoner.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
All literature is gossip.
—Truman Capote (1924–84) American Novelist
She poured a little social sewage into his ears.
—George Meredith (1828–1909) British Novelist, Poet, Critic
Rumor travels faster, but it don’t stay put as long as truth.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
Gossip is the tool of the poet, the shoptalk of the scientist and the consolation of the housewife, wit, tycoon and intellectual. It begins in the nursery and ends when speech is past.
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–78) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Writer of Children’s Books
Talking things over has its place in an organization (but) so-called conferences are being grossly overdone. One executive stops at the desk of another to tell him, perhaps, about the wonderful score he made at golf on Saturday afternoon. This chin-chin immediately becomes a conference, and neither the office boy nor the telephone operator must disturb either gentleman. More idle gossip is indulged in at many business conferences these days than an old wives’ sewing circle would be guilty of.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher