Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield Quotes

Good manners disappear in proportion as the influence of a Court and an exclusive aristocracy lessens; this decrease can be plainly observed from decade to decade by those who have an eye for public behavior, which grows visibly.

Manners are the hypocrisy of a nation.

In life, if you have an enthusiasm for what they call 'good manners,' sometimes people don't quite believe you. I've had that once or twice before, where they assume you can't be for real.

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

Etiquette means behaving yourself a little better than is absolutely essential.

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

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.

Good manners are a sign of strength.

Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices.

It starts when you begin to overlook good manners. Any time you quit hearing Sir and Mam the end is pretty much in sight.

We must recall the most important of humanity guidelines: Be polite. Being polite is possibly the greatest daily contribution everyone can make to life on Earth.

Good manners require space and time.

Good manners are the techniques of expressing consideration for the feelings of others.

A moral, sensible, and well-bred manWill not affront me, and no other can.

When people complain of the decay of manners they have in mind not the impudent abbreviations of the crowd, but the decline in bowing and scraping and in speaking of one's employer as "the master." What the rich mean by the good manners of the poor is usually not civility, but servility.

The civilities of the great are never thrown away.

Good general-purpose manners nowadays may be said to consist in knowing how much you can get away with.

Good manners can render even virtue tolerable.

Good manners are a part of good morals.

Honor has to say "please" and "thank you." Manners are really important.

Good manners reflect something from inside-an innate sense of consideration for others and respect for self.

It's not like it's hard to be decent and respectful and well-behaved. I do wait in line, and I do take the subway, and I do do my own grocery shopping, and I do take the kids to school.

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

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

In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.