Judith Martin Quotes

It is more comfortable for me, in the long run, to be rude than polite.

The greater the controversy, the more you need manners.

There's no excuse for rudeness.

If someone's being less than courteous to you, I don't think you need to pay any attention to them.

You can't be truly rude until you understand good manners.

I have never really encountered anybody that was rude to me. Well, not to my face anyway.

Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.

Just because you can say things that are uncivil does not mean that your should say things that are uncivil.

In England, we have such good manners that if someone says something impolite, the police will get involved.

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

To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered.

I never let my politics supersede my manners.

If my girls are rude, it's over. There is no place in the world for it.

Good manners sometimes means simply putting up with other people's bad manners.

In a day when, if you insulted a man it might cost you your life, you were probably more civil.

Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good manners.

Civility is not simply about manners.

Only once in my life was I on the edge of incivility. I do not like to be unkind.

To refuse graciously is to confer a favor.

Callousness and insolence bring to bare unanimous social condemnation, while the simple efforts of politeness are admired; even in those who are otherwise despised.

Be polite. Write diplomatically. Even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.

I get a choice every time I have to open my mouth: that it can be with civility and dignity and grace - or not.

I don't know where, or by whom, Judge Wapner was raised, but my parents taught me, when you don't have something nice to say about someone, say nothing.

It is a wise thing to be polite; consequently, it is a stupid thing to be rude. To make enemies by unnecessary and willful incivility, is just as insane a proceeding as to set your house on fire. For politeness is like a counter--an avowedly false coin, with which it is foolish to be stingy.

There can be no defence like elaborate courtesy.