A traveler of taste will notice that the wise are polite all over the world, but the fool only at home.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
An imposing air should always be taken as an evidence of imposition. — Dignity is often a veil between us and the real truth of things.
—Edwin Percy Whipple (1819–86) American Literary Critic
We Barbie dolls are not supposed to behave the way I do.
—Sharon Stone (b.1958) American Actor
I don’t say we all ought to misbehave, but we ought to look as if we could.
—Orson Welles (1915–85) American Film Director, Actor
Good-breeding is the art of showing men, by external signs, the internal regard we have for them. It arises from good sense, improved by conversing with good company.
—Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato) (234–149 BCE) Roman Statesman
To the real artist in humanity, what are called bad manners are often the most picturesque and significant of all.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
Everything is worth precisely as much as a belch, the difference being that a belch is more satisfying.
—Ingmar Bergman (1918–2007) Swedish Film and Stage Director
Simplicity of manner is the last attainment. Men are very long afraid of being natural, from the dread of being taken for ordinary.
—Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (1773–1850) Scottish Judge, Literary Critic
Says the rude child: “No, I won’t do it”. Says the courteous grown-up: “Yes, I won’t do it”.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
Perfect behavior is born of complete indifference.
—Cesare Pavese (1908–50) Italian Novelist, Poet, Critic, Translator
Manners are the happy ways of doing things; each once a stroke of genius or of love — now repeated and hardened into usage. They form at last a rich varnish, with which the routine of life is washed, and its details adorned. If they are superficial, so are the dew-drops which give such a depth to the morning meadows.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
What is the appropriate behavior for a man or a woman in the midst of this world, where each person is clinging to his piece of debris? What’s the proper salutation between people as they pass each other in this flood?
—Leonard Cohen (1934–2016) Canadian Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Novelist
The measure of a truly great man is the courtesy with which he treats lesser men.
—Unknown
Civility costs nothing, and buys everything.
—Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689–1762) English Aristocrat, Poet, Novelist, Writer
Tact is after all a kind of mind reading.
—Sarah Orne Jewett (1849–1909) American Children’s Books Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
Ceremonies are different in every country, but true politeness is everywhere the same.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Laws are always unstable unless they are founded on the manners of a nation; and manners are the only durable and resisting power in a people.
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–59) French Historian, Political Scientist
The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.
—Fred Astaire (1899–1987) American Actor, Dancer, Singer
To speak kindly does not hurt the tongue.
—Common Proverb
His courtesy was somewhat extravagant. He would write and thank people who wrote to thank him for wedding presents and when he encountered anyone as punctilious as himself the correspondence ended only with death.
—Evelyn Waugh (1903–66) British Novelist, Essayist, Biographer
Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
A man’s manners are the mirror in which he shows his portrait.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Whoever one is, and wherever one is, one is always in the wrong if one is rude.
—Maurice Baring (1874–1946) English Author, Journalist
You never want to give a man a present when he’s feeling good. You want to do it when he’s down.
—Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–73) American Head of State, Political leader
Manners are especially the need of the plain. The pretty can get away with anything.
—Evelyn Waugh (1903–66) British Novelist, Essayist, Biographer
Parents are usually more careful to bestow knowledge on their children rather than virtue, the art of speaking well rather than doing well; but their manners should be of the greatest concern.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
All doors open to courtesy.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
It’s a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people don’t want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them.
—P. G. Wodehouse (1881–1975) British Novelist, Short-story Writer, Playwright
Nothing is less important than which fork you use. Etiquette is the science of living. It embraces everything. It is ethics. It is honor.
—Emily Post (1873–1960) American Writer, Socialite
Ceremony is necessary as the outwork and defense of manners.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Affectation is an awkward and forced imitation of what should be genuine and easy, wanting the beauty that accompanies what is natural.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
How majestic is naturalness. I have never met a man whom I really considered a great man who was not always natural and simple. Affectation is inevitably the mark of one not sure of himself.
—Charles G. Dawes (1865-1951) American Diplomat, Politician
The test of one’s behavior pattern; relationship to society, relationship to one’s work, relationship to sex.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
Men are like wine; not good before the lees of clownishness be settled.
—Owen Feltham (1602–1668) English Essayist
It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Gravity must be natural and simple; there must be urbanity and tenderness in it. — A man must not formalize on everything. — He who does so is a fool; and a grave fool is, perhaps, more injurious than a light fool.
—Richard Cecil
When away from home always be like the kind of man you would care to take into your own home.
—William J. H. Boetcker (1873–1962) American Presbyterian Minister
Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.
—Emily Post (1873–1960) American Writer, Socialite
Gentility is what is left over from rich ancestors after the money is gone.
—John Ciardi (1916–86) American Poet, Teacher, Etymologist, Translator
Always behave as if nothing had happened no matter what has happened.
—Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
The world of the happy is quite different from that of the unhappy.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) Austrian-born British Philosopher
It is wise to apply the oil of refined politeness to the mechanisms of friendship.
—Colette (1873–1954) French Novelist, Performer
I place a high moral value on the way people behave. I find it repellent to have a lot, and to behave with anything other than courtesy in the old sense of the word—politeness of the heart, a gentleness of the spirit.
—Emma Thompson (b.1959) British Actress, Screenwriter, Activist
Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you act.
—George W. Crane (1901–95) American Psychologist, Physician
Many who would not take the last cookie would take the last lifeboat.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
We cannot always oblige, but we can always speak obligingly.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
A man can buy nothing in the market with gentility.
—William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (1521–98) English Political leader
The test of a man or woman’s breeding is how they behave in a quarrel.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
To be always thinking about your manners is not the way to make them good; the very perfection of manners is not to think about yourself..
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
Among well-bred people a mutual deference is affected, contempt for others is disguised; authority concealed; attention given to each in his turn; and an easy stream of conversation maintained without vehemence, without interruption, without eagerness for victory, and without any airs of superiority.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go.
—Margaret Walker (1915–98) American Author, Poet
Our humanity rests upon a series of learned behaviors, woven together into patterns that are infinitely fragile and never directly inherited.
—Margaret Mead (1901–78) American Anthropologist, Social Psychologist
Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of the pleasures; costs nothing and conveys much. It pleases him who gives and him who receives, and thus, like mercy, is twice blessed.
—Erastus Wiman (1834–1904) Canadian Journalist, Businessperson
Let your countenance be pleasant, but in serious matters let it be somewhat grave.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
Courtesy is the one coin you can never have too much of or be stingy with.
—John Wanamaker (1838–1922) American Merchant, Civil Servant
A mission could be defined as an image of a desired state that you want to get to. Once fully seen, it will inspire you to act, fuel your imagination and determine your behavior.
—Charles A. Garfield (b.1944) American Psychologist
Manners are one of the greatest engines of influence ever given to man.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
Prepare yourself for the world, as the athletes used to do for their exercise; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the necessary suppleness and flexibility; strength alone will not do.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Physics does not change the nature of the world it studies, and no science of behavior can change the essential nature of man, even though both sciences yield technologies with a vast power to manipulate the subject matters.
—B. F. Skinner (1904–90) American Psychologist, Social Philosopher, Inventor, Author
Manners are of such great consequence to the novelist that any kind will do. Bad manners are better than no manners at all, and because we are losing our customary manners, we are probably overly conscious of them; this seems to be a condition that produces writers.
—Flannery O’Connor (1925–1964) American Novelist
Charm is a way of getting the answer yes without having asked any clear question.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author
Civility costs nothing.
—Common Proverb
It’s no use growing older if you only learn new ways of misbehaving yourself.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) (1870–1916) British Short Story Writer, Satirist, Historian
Fine manners are a stronger bond than a beautiful face. The former binds; the latter only attracts.
—Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869) French Poet, Politician, Historian
The test of good manners is to be able to put up pleasantly with bad ones.
—Wendell Willkie (1892–1944) American Politician, Lawyer
There can be no defense like elaborate courtesy.
—E. V. Lucas (1868–1938) English Author, Historian
Manners easily and rapidly mature into morals.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
Manner is everything with some people, and something with everybody.
—Conyers Middleton (1683–1750) English Clergyman, Theologian
To know what people really think, pay regard to what they do, rather than what they say.
—Rene Descartes (1596–1650) French Mathematician, Philosopher
With a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and with a fraud I try to be a fraud and a half.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) German Chancellor, Prime Minister
Nothing, except what flows from the heart, can render even external manners truly pleasing.
—Hugh Blair (1718–1800) Scottish Preacher, Scholar, Critic
True politeness consists in being easy one’s self, and in making every one about one as easy as one can.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet