Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
There is a deportment which suits the figure and talents of each person; it is always lost when we quit it to assume that of another.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
Good manners sometimes means simply putting up with other people’s bad manners.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
We are justified in enforcing good morals, for they belong to all mankind; but we are not justified in enforcing good manners, for good manners always mean our own manners.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
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
The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.
—Fred Astaire (1899–1987) American Actor, Dancer, Singer
The manner of a vulgar man has freedom without ease; the manner of a gentleman, ease without freedom.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
The immoral man, who invades another’s property, is justly punished for it; and the ill bred man, who by his ill manners invades and disturbs the quiet and comforts of private life, is by common consent as justly banished society. For my own part, I really think, next to the consciousness of doing a good action, that of doing a civil one is the most pleasing; and the epithet which I should covet the most, next to that of Aristides (the Just), would be that of well bred.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Polish doesn’t change quartz into a diamond.
—Wilma Askinas
Our manners and customs go for more in life than our qualities.—The price we pay for our civilization is the fine yet impassible differentiation of these.
—Jeremiah Brown Howell
What we are doing at the moment is more that just one thing added to the rest; it is a memoir.
—Unknown
The prince of darkness may be a gentleman, as we are told he is, but, whatever the God of earth and heaven is, he can surely be no gentleman.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Behave so the aroma of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
A man can buy nothing in the market with gentility.
—William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (1521–98) English Political leader
Anyone can be polite to a king. It takes a gentleman to be polite to a beggar.
—Unknown
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
Men, like bullets, go farthest when they are smoothest.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
Savages we call them because their manners differ from ours.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The over-formal often impede, and sometimes frustrate business by a dilatory, tedious, circuitous, and fussy way of conducting the simplest transactions. They have been compared to a dog which cannot lie down till he has made three circuits round the spot.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
How often have I seen the most solid merit and knowledge neglected, unwelcome, and even rejected, while flimsy parts, little knowledge, and less merit, introduced by the Graces, have been received, cherished, and admired!
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Treat your superior as a father, your equal as a brother, and your inferior as a son.
—Persian Proverb
Good manners is the art of making those people easy with whom we converse; whoever makes the fewest persons uneasy, is the best bred man in company.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
It is better to have too much courtesy than too little, provided you are not equally courteous to all, for that would be injustice.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
We are to carry manner from the hand to the heart, to improve a ceremonial nicety into a substantial duty and the modes of civility into the realities of religion.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
Gentility is what is left over from rich ancestors after the money is gone.
—John Ciardi (1916–86) American Poet, Teacher, Etymologist, Translator
Affected simplicity is refined imposture.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
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
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
You can’t be truly rude until you understand good manners.
—Rita Mae Brown (b.1944) American Writer, Feminist
It is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of another; therefore let men take heed of their company.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Let thy carriage be friendly, but not foolishly free; an unwary openness causeth contempt, but a little reservedness, respect; and handsome courtesy, kindness.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Manhood is melted into courtesies, valor into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones, too.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
No man is a true gentleman who does not inspire the affection and devotion of his servants.
—Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919) Scottish-American Industrialist
We cannot always oblige, but we can always speak obligingly.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Clothes and manners do not make the man; but, when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
I prefer to leave standing up, like a well-mannered guest at a party.
—Leontyne Price (b.1927) American Opera Singer
Nothing is so great an instance of ill-manner as flattery. If you flatter all the company, you please none; if you flatter only one or two, you affront the rest.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
Hail! ye small sweet courtesies of life, for smooth do ye make the road of it, like grace and beauty which beget inclinations to love at first sight; ’tis ye who open the door and let the stranger in.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
What once were vices are manners now.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
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
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
I seek constantly to improve my manners and graces, for they are the sugar to which all are attracted.
—Og Mandino (1923–96) American Self-Help Author
It’s not a slam at you when people are rude – it’s a slam at the people they’ve met before.
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
To be a successful hostess, when guest arrive say, “At last!” and when they leave say, “So soon!”
—Unknown
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
To be audacious with tact, you have to know to what point you can go too far.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Playwright, Film Director
Manners are the shadows of virtues; the momentary display of those qualities which our fellow creatures love and respect. If we strive to become, then, what we strive to appear, manners may often be rendered useful guides to the performance of our duties.
—Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English Clergyman, Essayist, Wit
In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
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
Whoever one is, and wherever one is, one is always in the wrong if one is rude.
—Maurice Baring (1874–1946) English Author, Journalist