William Congreve Quotes

The politer the society, the greater the lies it requires.

Manners are the hypocrisy of a nation.

The American sense of decorum is falling apart.

I don't like the word 'ladylike.'

Politeness is sometimes a great tax upon sincerity.

Etiquette has no regard for moral qualities.

So much of being a woman is telling lies

Politeness is deception in pretty packaging.

. . . women were brought up to have only one set of manners. A woman was either a lady or she wasn't, and we all know what the latter meant. Not even momentary lapses were allowed; there is no female equivalent of the boys-will-be-boys concept.

Politeness is half good manners and half good lying.

People don't know how to behave in public anymore.

Women are taught that if you want to be a lady, keep your opinions to yourself and be polite.

He who observes etiquette but objects to lying is like someone who dresses fashionably but wears no vest.

A woman comes to a table, and you're supposed to get up. Period. But I don't always do it. In general, you're supposed to do it every time. But sometimes you're seated against the wall, and it's awkward.

Politeness is only one half good manners and the other half good lying.

The Japanese have perfected good manners and made them indistinguishable from rudeness.

Politeness, n: The most acceptable hypocrisy.

There used to be an art form called the 'comedy of manners.' Why aren't comedies of manners made now in this country? The answer is simple. We no longer have manners to speak of.

There's a real intense thing about manners in the South, a real prescribed way to be a woman.

We're supposed to be civilized. We're supposed to go to work every day. We're supposed to be nice to our friends and send Christmas cards to our parents.

Tis a rule of manners to avoid exaggeration.

The ignorant are afraid to betray surprise or admiration...they think it ill manners.

Politeness, however, acts the lady's maid to our thoughts; and they are washed, dressed, curled, rouged, and perfumed, before they are presented to the public.

All liaisons between homosexuals are conducted as though they were between a chorus girl and a bishop. In some cases both parties think they are bishops.

Architecture, like dress, is an exercise in good manners, and good manners involve the habit of skillful insincerity - the habit of saying "good morning" to those whose mornings you would rather blight, and of passing the butter to those you would rather starve.