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Politeness Quotes

Browse 329 quotes about Politeness.

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Politeness Quotes

“Conversation was never begun at once, nor in a hurried manner. No one was quick with a question, no matter how important, and no one was pressed for an answer. A pause giving time for thought was the truly courteous way of beginning and conducting a conversation. Silence was meaningful with the Lakota, and his granting a space of silence to the speech-maker and his own moment of silence before talking was done in the practice of true politeness and regard for the rule that, "thought comes before speech."”

WayGivingImportantMatterDoneMomentsSpaceAnswersSilenceTalkingPracticeConversationSpeechRegardMeaningfulNativeMakersNative AmericanPausesSilence IsPolitenessConductingCourteousNative AmericaNative American IndianGreat Native AmericanNative American EarthIndian WisdomMoment Of SilenceLakotaGiving Time
Author:Luther Standing Bear
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“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. It is the practice of sacrificing to those whom we meet in society, all the little inconveniences and preferences which will gratify them, and deprive us of nothing worth a moment's consideration; it is the giving a pleasing and flattering turn to our expressions, which will conciliate others, and make them pleased with us as well as themselves. How cheap a price for the good will of another!”

WantGivingWellsLittlesRealEndsMomentsTurnsNaturalPracticeVirtueSacrificeExpressionConsiderationSubstitutesArtificialPreferenceGood WillPolitenessFlatteringHabitualInconvenienceRenderingGood Humor
Author:Thomas Jefferson
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“In one period the grossest ignorance and barbarism prevailed in the world; and afterwards, in a more enlightened age, the most daring infidelity, and contempt of God; so that the world which was once over-run with ignorance, now by wisdom knew not God, but changed the glory of the incorruptible God as much as in the most barbarous ages, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Nay, as they increased in science and politeness, they ran into more abundant and extravagant idolatries.”

MenWorldMadeRunningAgeFourChangedIgnorancePeriodsGloryBirdRanBeastEnlightenedContemptDaringInfidelityPolitenessIdolatryBarbarismExtravagant
Author:William Carey
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“Look at your [English] ladies of quality are they not forever parting with their husbands - forfeiting their reputations - and is their life aught but dissipation? In common genteel life, indeed, you may now and then meet with very fine girls - who have politeness, sense and conversation - but these are few - and then look at your trademen's daughters - what are they? poor creatures indeed! all pertness, imitation and folly.”

LooksMayGirlPoorCommonQualityForeverFineHusbandConversationCreaturesDaughterReputationFollyNow And ThenImitationPartingPolitenessDissipation
Author:Fanny Burney
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“That politeness which we put on, in order to keep the assuming and the presumptuous at a proper distance will generally succeed. But it sometimes happens that these obtrusive characters are on such excellent terms with themselves that they put down this very politeness to the score of their own great merits and high pretensions, meeting the coldness of our reserve with a ridiculous condescension of familiarity, in order to set us at ease with ourselves.”

SometimesCharacterHappensOrderTermSucceedDistanceAssumingMeetingsRidiculousExcellentEaseMeritScoreReservesFamiliarityPolitenessPretensionColdnessCondescensionPresumptuous
Book:Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan
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“The polite of every country seem to have but one character. A gentleman of Sweden differs but little, except in trifles, from one of any other country. It is among the vulgar we are to find those distinctions which characterize a people.”

PeopleLittlesCountryCharacterSeemsGentlemanDistinctionOther CountriesPoliteVulgarPolitenessTriflesSweden
Book:An inquiry into the present state of polite learning. The Bee. History of Cyrillo Padovano. Life of Dr. Parnell. Life of Lord Bolingbroke. Prefaces and introductions
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“The whole country wants civility. Why don't we have it? It doesn't cost anything. No federal funding, no legislation is involved. One answer is the unwillingness to restrain oneself. Everybody wants other people to be polite to them, but they want the freedom of not having to be polite to others.”

PeopleWantCountryWholeFreedomAnswersInvolvedCostOneselfEqualityMannersWillingnessLegislationPoliteInvolvementFundingCivilityPolitenessCivil SocietyRestraining
Author:Judith Martin
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“Why did Americans smile so often? Was it out of politeness or because of a gay disposition? Whatever it was, I for one had never been spoiled with smiles. I found it very pleasant! ... I was beginning to understand that with Americans smiling was, as with healthy infants, a natural need. And my reaction was to respond in the same way.”

WayNeedsFoundNaturalUnited StatesHealthyGayReactionsPleasantDispositionInfantPolitenessSpoiled
Book:Only One Year
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“There are people who balk at small civilities on account of their manifest insincerity. ... It is better and more logical to accept all the polite phraseology which facilitates intercourse, and contributes to the sweetness of life. If we discarded the formal falsehoods which are the currency of conversation, we should not be one step nearer the vital things of truth.”

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Author:Agnes Repplier
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“Conversation as talent exists only in France. In other countries, conversation provides politeness, discussion, and friendship; in France, it is an art for which imagination and soul are certainly very welcome, but which can also provide its own secret remedies to compensate you for the absence of either or both, if you so desire.”

IfsArtSoulCountryDesireImaginationSecretTalentConversationAbsenceWelcomeFranceDiscussionRemedyOther CountriesPolitenessEither Or
Author:Madame de Stael
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“True politeness is consideration for the opinions of others. It has been said of dogmatism that it is only puppyism come to its full growth; and certainly the worst form this quality can assume is that of opinionativeness and arrogance.”

Has BeensSaidFormGrowthQualityOpinionWorstAssumingArroganceConsiderationPolitenessDogmatism
Book:Self-help; with Illustrations of Character, Conduct, and Perseverance
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“The only true source of politeness is consideration,--that vigilant moral sense which never loses sight of the rights, the claims, and the sensibilities of others. This is the one quality, over all others, necessary to make a gentleman.”

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Book:Egeria: Or Voices of Thought and Counsel, for the Woods and Wayside
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