Gentleman Quotes - Page 36

• I've developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by far, than I learned anything useful from, except, of course, that some very tedious gentlemen have written books.

  Marilynne Robinson

  Book, Reading, Reputation

  FaceBook post by Marilynne Robinson from Feb 15, 2012

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• What I'm expecting is for you to behave like the gentleman I always thought you were.

  Wendelin Van Draanen

  Men, Expecting, Behave

  Wendelin Van Draanen (2008). “Flipped”, p.120, Knopf Books for Young Readers

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• A true gentleman is at a disadvantage in dealing with women. Women are realists, and their tactics are realistic, so no man should be a gentleman where women are concerned unless the women are very, very old or very, very young. Women admire gentlemen, and sleep with cads.

  Louis L'Amour

  Sleep, Men, Tactics

  Louis L'Amour (2005). “The Walking Drum”, p.215, Bantam

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• In the first place, Cranford is in possession of the Amazons; all the holders of houses above a certain rent are women. If a married couple come to settle in the town, somehow the gentleman disappears; he is either fairly frightened to death by being the only man in the Cranford parties, or he is accounted for by being with his regiment, his hip, or closely engaged in business all the week in the great neighbouring commercial town of Drumble, distant only twenty miles on a railroad. In short, whatever does become of the gentlemen, they are not at Cranford.

  Elizabeth Gaskell

  Couple, Party, Men

  Elizabeth Gaskell (2009). “Cranford”, p.4, The Floating Press

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• Mister Cameron - I have read the unexpurgated Ovid, the love poems of Sappho, the Decameron in the original, and a great many texts in Greek and Latin histories that were not though fit for proper gentlemen to read, much less proper ladies. I know in precise detail what Caligula did to, and with, his sisters, and I can quote it to you in Latin or in my own translation if you wish. I am interested in historical truth, and truth in history is often unpleasant and distasteful to those of fine sensibility. I frankly doubt that you will produce anything to shock me.

  Mercedes Lackey

  Latin, Historical, Greek

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• For you must know, gentlemen, that when the mariner is dosed, he likes to know that he has been dosed: with fifteen grains or even less of this valuable substance scenting him and the very air about him there can be no doubt of the matter; and such is the nature of the human mind that he experiences a far greater real benefit than the drug itself would provide, were it deprived of its stench.

  Patrick O'Brian

  Real, Air, Drug

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• Gentlemen, this is the football.

  Vince Lombardi

  Football

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• Ah, ladies and gentlemen, a man lives a sad life when he cannot take anything or anyone seriously.

  Milan Kundera

  Men, Sad Life, Ladies And Gentlemen

  Milan Kundera (1974). “Laughable Loves”

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• Sir,"she said,"you are no gentleman!" An apt observation,"he answered airily."And, you, Miss, are no lady.

  Margaret Mitchell

  Missing, Said, Observation

  Margaret Mitchell (2016). “Gone with the Wind”, p.77, Hamilton Books

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• He had once found himself in a room with Lady Bessborough's long-haired white cat. He happened to be dressed in an immaculate black coat and trousers, and was there thoroughly alarmed by the cat's stalking round and round and making motions as if it proposed to sit upon him. He waited until he believed himself to be unobserved, then he picked it up, opened a window, and tossed it out. Despite falling three storeys to the ground, the cat survived, but one of its legs was never quite right afterward and it always evinced the greatest dislike of gentlemen in black clothes.

  Susanna Clarke

  Fall, Cat, White

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• I am dying a thousand cruel and unusual deaths as fifty pairs of eyes take me in, size me up like something that should be hanging over a fireplace in a gentleman's den.

  Libba Bray

  Eye, Dying, Fifty

  Libba Bray (2010). “A Great and Terrible Beauty”, p.37, Simon and Schuster

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• Perhaps what I am about to say will appear strange to you gentlemen, socialists, progressives, humanitarians as you are, but I never worry about my neighbor, I never try to protect society which does not protect me -- indeed, I might add, which generally takes no heed of me except to do me harm -- and, since I hold them low in my esteem and remain neutral towards them, I believe that society and my neighbor are in my debt.

  Alexandre Dumas

  Believe, Worry, Trying

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• A lady is as young as the gentleman she feels," said Roy and cackled happily.

  M.C. Beaton

  Said, Young, Feels

  M. C. Beaton (2010). “The Quiche of Death: An Agatha Raisin Mystery”, p.154, St. Martin's Paperbacks

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• I regret to say that during the first act of this, I fell so soundly asleep that the gentleman who brought me piled up a barricade of overcoat, hat, stick, and gloves between us to establish a separation in the eyes of the world, and went into an impersonation of A Young Man Who Has Come to the Theater Unaccompanied.

  Dorothy Parker

  Regret, Eye, Men

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• As a general rule of biology, migratory species are less 'aggressive' than sedentary ones. There is one obvious reason why this should be so. The migration itself, like the pilgrimage, is the hard journey: a 'leveller' on which the 'fit' survive and stragglers fall by the wayside. The journey thus pre-empts the need for hierarchies and shows of dominance. The 'dictators' of the animal kingdom are those who live in an ambience of plenty. The anarchists, as always, are the 'gentlemen of the road'.

  Bruce Chatwin

  Fall, Animal, Journey

  Bruce Chatwin (2012). “The Songlines”, p.271, Random House

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• The doctor seemed especially troubled by the fact of the robbery having been unexpected, and attempted in the night-time; as if it were the established custom of gentlemen in the housebreaking way to transact business at noon, and to make an appointment, by the twopenny post, a day or two previous.

  Charles Dickens

  Night, Doctors, Two

  Charles Dickens, George Cruikshank (2015). “Oliver Twist, Volume 2 (of 3) (Illustrations)”, p.48, RICHARD BENTLEY

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• I have a fetish for damsels in distress.” “Don’t be sexist.” “Not at all. My services are also available to gentlemen in distress. It’s an equal opportunity fetish.

  Cassandra Clare

  Opportunity, Sexist, Equal

  Cassandra Clare (2010). “City of Glass”, p.135, Simon and Schuster

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• Hasn’t anyone ever told you,” Jesse asked, in a semi-amused voice, “ that a gentleman never lays a hand on a lady?” Which I thought was kind of funny, considering where Jesse had had his hand the last time I’d seen him. But I thought it better to let that slide.

  Meg Cabot

  Hands, Voice, Lasts

  Meg Cabot (2009). “Heaven Sent”, p.80, Pan Macmillan

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• You're a hero and a gentleman, you're kind and honest, but more than that, you're the first man I ever truly loved. And no matter what the future brings, you always will be, and I know that my life is better for it.

  Nicholas Sparks

  Hero, Men, Romance

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• Syn may be too much of a gentleman to hit you, but I’m not. I’m not only ashamed to call you human, I’m completely disgusted that we share the same gender. You want to know the truth? The only filth in this room is you, and you’re the one who doesn’t deserve to breathe our air. Decent’s got nothing to do with birthright. It’s all about actions, and trust me, you’re the lowest form I’ve ever met and I’ve taken in the worst scum imaginable. But I’d rather sit at the table with them than you any day. (Shahara to Mara)

  Sherrilyn Kenyon

  Taken, Air, Scum

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• Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron,” Sebastian said approvingly. “Excellent choice.” “You have read this?” Alexei asked. “It’s not as good as Miss Davenport and the Dark Marquis, of course, but worlds better than Miss Sainsbury and the Mysterious Colonel.” Harry found himself rendered speechless. “I’m reading Miss Truesdale and the Silent Gentleman right now.” “Silent?” Harry echoed. “There is a noticeable lack of dialogue,” Sebastian confirmed.

  Julia Quinn

  Reading, Dark, Mad

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• Gentlemen, be courteous to the old maids, no matter how poor and plain and prim, for the only chivalry worth having is that which is the readiest to to pay deference to the old, protect the feeble, and serve womankind, regardless of rank, age, or color.

  Louisa May Alcott

  Color, Age, Maids

  Louisa May Alcott (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Louisa May Alcott (Illustrated)”, p.604, Delphi Classics

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• Ladies and Gentlemen...we are floating in Space!

  Jostein Gaarder

  Space, Floating, Ladies And Gentlemen

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• Gentlemen, let us suppose that man is not stupid. (Indeed one cannot refuse to suppose that, if only from the one consideration, that, if man is stupid, then who is wise?) But if he is not stupid, he is monstrously ungrateful! Phenomenally ungrateful. In fact, I believe that the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.

  Fyodor Dostoevsky

  Wise, Stupid, Believe

  Fyodor Dostoevsky (2018). “White Nights and Other Stories”, p.93, Youcanprint

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• From the window, above the clatter of pots and the slamming of cabinets, Francis was singing, as though it was the happiest song in the world: 'We are the little black sheep who have gone astray . . . Baa baa baa . . . Gentlemen songsters off on a spree . . . Doomed from here to eternity . . .

  Donna Tartt

  Song, Sheep, Black

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