Vulgarity is the rich man’s modest contribution to democracy.
—Unknown
The devil tempts men through their ambition, their cupidity or their appetite, until he comes to the profane swearer, whom he catches without any bait or reward.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
Blasphemous words betray the vain foolishness of the speaker.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
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
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
Grant me some wild expressions, Heavens, or I shall burst.
—George Farquhar (1677–1707) Irish Dramatist
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
The higher a man stands, the more the word “vulgar” becomes unintelligible to him.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
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
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
A thing is not vulgar merely because it is common
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
There are no people who are quite so vulgar as the over-refined.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
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
‘Twas but my tongue, ’twas not my soul that swore.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Oaths are the fossils of piety.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
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
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
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
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
Vulgarity is the garlic in the salad of taste.
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
Vulgarity is, in reality, nothing but a modern, chic, pert descendant of the goddess Dullness.
—Edith Sitwell (1887–1964) British Poet, Literary 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
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
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
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
Think with the wise, but talk with the vulgar.
—Greek Proverb
Vulgarity is more obvious in satin than in homespun.
—Nathaniel Parker Willis (1806–67) American Poet, Playwright, Essayist
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
Common swearing, if it have any serious meaning at all, argues in man a perpetual distrust of his own reputation, and is an acknowledgment that he thinks his bare word not to be worthy of credit. And it is so far from adorning and filling a man’s discourse, that it makes it look swollen and bloated, and more bold and blustering than becomes persons of genteel and good breeding.
—John Tillotson
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