Quotes About Politeness

But think about why it is impolite to ask such direct, factual questions of religious people today. It is because it is embarrassing! But it is the answer that is embarrassing, if it is yes.

I suspect that both astronomers were, yet again, bending over backwards to be polite: theologians have nothing worthwhile to say about anything else; let's throw them a sop and let them worry away at a couple of questions that nobody can answer and maybe never will.

The sweetness and generosity and politeness and gentleness and humanity of the French had shown me how lovely life can be if one takes time to be friendly.

I admired the English immensely for all that they had endured, and they were certainly honorable, and stopped their cars for pedestrians, and called you "sir" and "madam," and so on. But after a week there, I began to feel wild. It was those ruddy English faces, so held in by duty, the sense of "what is done" and "what is not done," and always swigging tea and chirping, that made me want to scream like a hyena

We ate the lunch with painful politeness and avoided discussing its taste. I made sure not to apologize for it. This was a rule of mine. I don't believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make... Usually one's cooking is better than one thinks it is. And if the food is vile,...then the cook must simply grit her teeth and bear it with a smile- and learn from her mistakes.

The sweetness and generosity and politeness and gentleness and humanity of the French had shown me how lovely life can be if one takes time

If these are indeed the spirits of Englishmen and Englishwomen who have passed over into the next world, surely they would know how to form a proper queue?

At times, I suspect that the concept of maturity is maintained by a conspiracy of niceness.

He didn't go to church. He read The Times and the Telegraph. He had been friendly and polite with me, but also sarcastic and rude; mainly, I would say, indifferent. He seemed to be cross with life.

I was determined to be polite, unoffendable, persistent, boring, friendly: in other words, to lie.

She had that uniquely English talent of demonstrating, through her scrupulously polite manner, just how awful she thought the company. She could leave a roomful crushed and rejected and yet congratulate herself on behaving perfectly. It is of course of all forms of rudeness the most offensive as it leaves no room for rebuttal.

it was understood that the word "Redmond" would be treated in their house rather as though someone had silently broken wind in company. Its occurrence was distasteful but occasionally unavoidable, and while it could be politely ignored, it was certainly not encouraged or enjoyed.

As much as I would enjoy inspecting your... rosette more closely, Miss Makepeace--- and the smile spread, becoming that intimating, preternaturally confident smile of the night before, ---I'll forego that pleasure for the moment.

What brings you to Eversea House, Moncrieffe? Very polite the question, but strain pitched it nearly an octave higher than Ian's usual voice. His nostrils had flared; white lines made dents on either side of them. Opportunity, Moncrieffe said simply. And smiled the sort of smile that wolves do, when they have their prey neatly cornered.

Ich bin Parker. Er fand es höflich, das zu erwähnen, aber sie sah ihn an, als hätte er eine Flagge mit der Ausschrift Volltrottel gehisst.

Pray don't hold back," Robert said politely. "You can tell me what you really think of my valet." Stewart broke in to a reluctant grin."Sorry fer bein' so forward, sir, but that valet o' yers is nothin' but a Frenchified piece o' lace.

Whoever makes the fewest persons uneasy, is the best bred man in company.

One may know a man that never conversed in the world, by his excess of good-breeding.

Clarity is the politeness of the man of letters.

I hate being moved. I hate that man who came in. So self-righteous, so cruel. He made fun of me, that's why I cried. You never did that. You led me into temptation by your - politeness.

As charity covers a multitude of sins before God, so does politeness before men.

All men are alike. If you ask any American man, 'How are you?' he'll answer 'Fine,' even if his mother just had a heart attack.

Good manners do more for a man that good looks.

A gentleman is a man who is only rude when he intends to be.