English Politeness Quotes & Sayings

I can hold a cup of sake on a full moon in Japan, and the reflection of the moon in that little cup can make me feel so enthusiastic about beauty. That one good, magical moment can give me enough to create other things like the teardrop earring or necklace. — Elsa Peretti

Every apathetic individual is a brick in a tyrant's throne. — Philip Slater

There's no nation under the sun can beat the English for ill-politeness: for my part, I hate the very sight of them; and so I shall only just visit a person of quality or two of my particular acquaintance, and then I shall go back again to France. — Fanny Burney

Steffie took my hand and we walked past the fruit bins, an area that extended about forty-five yards along one wall. The bins were arranged diagonally and backed my mirrors that people accidentally punched when reaching for fruit in upper rows. — Don DeLillo

They [the English] have a special word, "civil," for what is elsewhere merely ordinary politeness. — Edmund Wilson

What doth better become wisdom than to discern what is worthy the living. — Philip Sidney

I'm not a god, I'm not a genius, I'm not a monk, I make non-design for non-consumers. I don't know if I do exist. — Philippe Starck

I really believe that every character comes from the well of the artist. — Melora Hardin

The captain was amusing. He said that he himself couldn't draw and proved his words by drawing his own house for his prisoner to see. It was just such a house as the babies drew in the kindergarten: a square box with four square windows, a door and two chimneys, each with a neat curl of smoke. "That's best I can do," said the Captain, laughing.
Max laughed with him for politeness' sake, though inwardly he was shocked that an important man like the Captain made a fool of himself. "Vater does not draw," he said kindly, "nor does Mutti; but they are both very keen on photography. Perhaps you are good at that?"
"Not brilliant," said the Captain. — Constance Savery

Some might argue that the reality of Nordic autonomy is that you are free ... to be Nordic. If you are a Muslim who is looking to build a mosque, or an American who wants to drive a large car, espouse your deeply held Creationist beliefs, and go shopping with your platinum card on Sunday, or even if you are English and choose to conduct yourself according to archaic forms of baroque politeness, you are likely to experience varying degrees of oppression and exclusion should you come to live in this part of the world. This is true. — Michael Booth

I don't like to criticize music and I had a really hard time picking out the song I hate for this because I end up seeing and working with musicians all the time. — Margaret Cho

From the true antagonist illimitable courage is transmitted to you. — Franz Kafka

Girls and women are most victimised in societies where boys and men are disempowered. — Jacqueline Novogratz

More than anything else, I think, Maddie went to war on behalf of the Holy Island seals. — Elizabeth Wein

Those who are truly humble will never presume to judge and condemn others, even when they see them committing very serious wrongs. They will say to themselves, "Who knows how much more grievously I would sin if I were exposed to the same temptations as these persons?" or, "Who can tell how much better these persons would be than I am if they had received from God the graces that have been granted to me? — F.J. Remler

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. — Fanny Burney

A real Christian is the one who can give his pet parrot to the town gossip. — Billy Graham