Vulgarity is the rich man’s modest contribution to democracy.
—Unknown
Vulgarity is more obvious in satin than in homespun.
—Nathaniel Parker Willis (1806–67) American Poet, Playwright, Essayist
To endeavor to work upon the vulgar with fine sense is like attempting to hew blocks with a razor.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Be true to your own highest convictions. Intimations from our own souls of something more perfect than others teach, if faithfully followed, give us a consciousness of spiritual force and progress never experienced by the vulgar of high life, or low life, who march as they are drilled to the step of their times.
—William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) American Unitarian Theologian, Poet
It’s only with great vulgarity that you can achieve real refinement, only out of bawdy that you can get tenderness.
—Lawrence Durrell (1912–90) British Biographer, Poet, Playwright, Novelist
It comes to pass oft that a terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharply twanged off, gives manhood more approbation than ever proof itself would have earned him.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Nothing is a greater, or more fearful sacrilege than to prostitute the great name of God to the petulancy of an idle tongue.
—Jeremy Taylor
The foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing is a vice so mean and low that every person of sense and character detests and despises it.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
Since obscenity is the truth of our passion today, it is the only stuff of art—or almost the only stuff.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
Whatever harsh criticisms may be passed on the construction of her sentences, she at least possesses that one touch of vulgarity that makes the whole world kin.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Ethelberta breathed a sort of exclamation, not right out, but stealthily, like a parson’s damn.
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) English Novelist, Poet
Oaths are the fossils of piety.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
The vulgarity of inanimate things requires time to get accustomed to; but living, breathing, bustling, plotting, planning, human vulgarity is a species of moral ipecacuanha enough to destroy any comfort.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
My English text is chaste, and all licentious passages are left in the obscurity of a learned language.
—Edward Gibbon (1737–94) English Historian, Politician
Profaneness is a brutal vice.—He who indulges in it is no gentleman.—I care not what his stamp may be in society, or what clothes he wears, or what culture he boasts.—Despite all his refinement, the light and habitual taking of God’s name in vain, betrays a coarse and brutal will.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
Obscenity is whatever happens to shock some elderly and ignorant magistrate.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Here is the piece. If you can’t say fornicate can you say copulate or if not that can you say co-habit?. If not that would have to say consummate I suppose. Use your own good taste and judgment.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
The vulgar man is always the most distinguished, for the very desire to be distinguished is vulgar.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Vulgarity is the conduct of other people, just as falsehoods are the truths of other people.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
There are no people who are quite so vulgar as the over-refined.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Grant me some wild expressions, Heavens, or I shall burst.
—George Farquhar (1677–1707) Irish Dramatist
Vulgarity is, in reality, nothing but a modern, chic, pert descendant of the goddess Dullness.
—Edith Sitwell (1887–1964) British Poet, Literary Critic
‘Twas but my tongue, ’twas not my soul that swore.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
It chills my blood to hear the blest Supreme rudely appealed to on each trifling theme.—Maintain your rank, vulgarity despise.—To swear is neither brave, polite, nor wise.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Vulgarity is the garlic in the salad of taste.
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
The sign of a Philistine age is the cry of immorality against art.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Disorder in a drawing room is vulgar; in an antiquary’s study, not; the black battle-stain on a soldier’s face is not vulgar, but the dirty face of a housemaid is.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
A whoreson jackanapes must take me up for swearing; as if I borrowed mine oaths of him and might not spend them at my pleasure. When a gentleman is disposed to swear, it is not for any standers-by to curtail his oaths, ha?
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Think with the wise, but talk with the vulgar.
—Greek Proverb
I’ve tried to reduce profanity but I reduced so much profanity when writing the book that I’m afraid not much could come out. Perhaps we will have to consider it simply as a profane book and hope that the next book will be less profane or perhaps more sacred.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
Ay, ay, the best terms will grow obsolete: damns have had their day.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816) Irish-born British Playwright, Poet, Elected Rep
Obscenity, which is ever blasphemy against the divine beauty in life… is a monster for which the corruption of society forever brings forth new food, which it devours in secret.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) English Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
Very notable was his distinction between coarseness and vulgarity, coarseness, revealing something; vulgarity, concealing something.
—E. M. Forster (1879–1970) English Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist
Take not God’s name in vain; select a time when it will have effect.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The higher a man stands, the more the word “vulgar” becomes unintelligible to him.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
A footman may swear; but he cannot swear like a lord. He can swear as often: but can he swear with equal delicacy, propriety, and judgment?
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
A thing is not vulgar merely because it is common
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Shocking writing is like murder: the questions the jury must decide are the questions of motive and intent.
—E. B. White (1985–99) American Essayist, Humorist
Obscenity is a cleansing process, whereas pornography only adds to the murk.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Not when truth is dirty, but when it is shallow, does the enlightened man dislike to wade into its waters.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer