Intolerance, discourtesy and harshness..... are taboo in all good society and are surely contrary to the spirit of democracy.
It would be nice if everybody who had something interesting to say about my work could say it politely and civilly, but it doesn't work that way... Sometimes people are just really nasty.
True politeness is perfect ease and freedom. It simply consists in treating others just as you love to be treated yourself.
Among the arts of conversation no one pleases more than mutual deference or civility, which leads us to resign our own inclinations to those of our companions, and to curb and conceal that presumption and arrogance so natural to the human mind.
Debates must take place in an atmosphere of courtesy.
Politeness is the art of choosing among your thoughts.
He that can enjoy the intimacy of the great, and on no occasion disgust them by familiarity, or disgrace himself by servility, proves that he is as perfect a gentleman by nature as his companions are by rank.
It requires nothing less than a chivalric feeling to sustain a conversation with a lady.
