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
Vulgarity is more obvious in satin than in homespun.
—Nathaniel Parker Willis (1806–67) American Poet, Playwright, Essayist
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
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
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) English Novelist, Poet, Travel Writer
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
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
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
Obscenity is whatever happens to shock some elderly and ignorant magistrate.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
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
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
Grant me some wild expressions, Heavens, or I shall burst.
—George Farquhar (1677–1707) Irish Dramatist
Profit or pleasure there is none in swearing, nor anything in men’s natural tempers to incite them to it. For though some men pour out oaths so freely, as if they came naturally from them, yet surely no man is born of a swearing constitution.
—John Tillotson
Ill deeds are doubled with an evil word; the sting of a reproach is the truth of it.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Vulgarity is the rich man’s modest contribution to democracy.
—Unknown
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
Oaths are the fossils of piety.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Vulgarity is, in reality, nothing but a modern, chic, pert descendant of the goddess Dullness.
—Edith Sitwell (1887–1964) English Poet, Critic
Vulgarity is the garlic in the salad of taste.
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
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
The higher a man stands, the more the word “vulgar” becomes unintelligible to him.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
Ethelberta breathed a sort of exclamation, not right out, but stealthily, like a parson’s damn.
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) English Novelist, Poet
Vulgarity is the conduct of other people, just as falsehoods are the truths of other people.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
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
The sign of a Philistine age is the cry of immorality against art.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Think with the wise, but talk with the vulgar.
—Greek Proverb
There are no people who are quite so vulgar as the over-refined.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Blasphemous words betray the vain foolishness of the speaker.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
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, Critic
‘Twas but my tongue, ’twas not my soul that swore.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
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