Politeness Quotes

• The only true source of politeness is consideration.

  William Gilmore Simms

  Consideration, Source, Polite

  William Gilmore Simms (1853). “Egeria: Or Voices of Thought and Counsel, for the Woods and Wayside”, p.235

  91 Copy quote

  Show source

• Politeness is good nature regulated by good sense.

  Sydney Smith

  Army, Good Nature, Good Sense

  Sydney Smith, Lady Saba (Smith) Holland Holland (1855). “A memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith”, p.459

  8 Copy quote

  Show source

• True power and true politeness are above vanity.

  Voltaire

  Vanity, True Power

  Voltaire (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of Voltaire (Illustrated)”, p.3158, Delphi Classics

  25 Copy quote

  Show source

• Politeness and consideration for others is like investing pennies and getting dollars back.

  Thomas Sowell

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

  32 Copy quote

• Politeness is the result of good sense and good nature.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Results, Good Nature, Good Sense

  Oliver Goldsmith, Sir James Prior (1837). “The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B.: Letters from a citizen of the world, to his friend in the East. A familiar introduction to the study of natural history”, p.155

  10 Copy quote

  Show source

• 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.

  Fran Lebowitz

  Heart, People, House

  58 Copy quote

• Politeness is the art of choosing among your thoughts.

  Madame de Stael

  Art, Courtesy, Manners

  19 Copy quote

• A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

  Solomon

  Inspirational, Wisdom, Kings

  113 Copy quote

• Politeness is wasted on the dishonest, who will always take advantage of any well-intended concession.

  Barrett Brown

  Advantage, Wells, Concessions

  "Flock of Dodos: Behind Modern Creationism, Intelligent Design and the Easter Bunny". Book by Barrett Brown and ‎Jon P. Alston, 2007.

  10 Copy quote

  Show source

• One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness.

  Josh Billings

  Greatest Victory, Gains, Funny Business

  "Lifetime Speaker's Encyclopedia". Book by Jacob Morton Braude (p. 601), 1962.

  23 Copy quote

  Show source

• Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others.

  Emily Post

  Feelings, Awareness Of Others, Sensitive

  "Reader's Digest" Magazine, Vol. 68, 1956.

  32 Copy quote

  Show source

• Politeness is the chief sign of culture.

  Baltasar Gracian

  Culture, Chiefs

  8 Copy quote

• Politeness is the flower of humanity.

  Joseph Joubert

  Meaningful, Flower, Humanity

  Joseph Joubert (1867). “Some of the "Thoughts" of Joseph Joubert”, p.84

  14 Copy quote

  Show source

• Punctuality is the politeness of kings.

  Louis XVIII of France

  Kings, Punctuality

  Attributed, in 'Souvenirs de J. Lafitte' (1844) bk. 1, ch. 3

  36 Copy quote

  Show source

• Be nice to everyone, always smile & appreciate things because it could all be gone tomorrow.

  Cory Monteith

  Smile, Appreciation, Nice

  92 Copy quote

• Politeness makes one appear outwardly as they should be within.

  Jean de la Bruyere

  Manners, Should

  12 Copy quote

• Politeness does not always inspire goodness, equity, complaisance, and gratitude; it gives at least the appearance of these qualities, and makes man appear outwardly, as he should be within.

  Jean de la Bruyere

  Gratitude, Men, Giving

  8 Copy quote

• Politeness [is] a sign of dignity, not subservience.

  Theodore Roosevelt

  Dignity, Subservience

  10 Copy quote

• Kindness and politeness are not overrated at all. They're underused.

  Tommy Lee Jones

  Morning, Kindness, Overrated

  "Me and Mr Jones". Interview with Gaby Wood, www.theguardian.com. July 21, 2002.

  34 Copy quote

  Show source

• Don't mistake politeness for lack of strength.

  Sonia Sotomayor

  Mistake

  "A Justice Deliberates: Sotomayor On Love, Health And Family". "Morning Edition" with Nina Totenberg, kuow.org. January 12, 2013.

  47 Copy quote

  Show source

• Politeness induces morality. Serenity of manners requires serenity of mind.

  Julia Ward Howe

  Serenity, Mind, Morality

  10 Copy quote

• Politeness is to human nature what warmth is to wax.

  Arthur Schopenhauer

  Positive, Philosophical, Entrepreneur

  Arthur Schopenhauer (2007). “Parerga and Paralipomena: A Collection of Philosophical Essays”, Cosimo, Inc.

  21 Copy quote

  Show source

• The truth is, the more kind and liberal a man is, the more generous will be the patronage bestowed upon him.

  P. T. Barnum

  Men, Kind, Truth Is

  P. T. Barnum (2007). “The Art of Money Getting: Golden Rules for Making Money”, p.42, Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.

  13 Copy quote

  Show source

• I want minimum information given with maximum politeness.

  Jackie Kennedy

  Want, Information, Given

  "A Hero for Our Time". Book by Ralph G Martin, 1983.

  92 Copy quote

  Show source

• Politeness is fictitious benevolence.

  Samuel Johnson

  Manners, Benevolence

  Dr. Samuel Johnson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Samuel Johnson (Illustrated)”, p.8598, Delphi Classics

  7 Copy quote

  Show source