# Quotes about good manners - Quotes: 10 - Authors: 7 - Broader topic: [Quotes about relationships](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/relationships.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.json ## Quotes > 'Thank you, Hester,' Janet said, as she leaned back against the cushion placed behind her. Not that it was necessary to thank a robot, but she had a theory that if you did not practise politeness with robots you soon forgot it with other people. [John Wyndham](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-wyndham.md) · [The Seeds of Time](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-wyndham/the-seeds-of-time.md) · p. 205 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-wyndham/the-seeds-of-time/thank-you-hester.md) Topics: [technology](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/technology.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > 11th Juror: I beg pardon, in discussing- > > 10th Juror: I beg pardon. What are you so damn polite about? > > 11th Juror: For the same reason you're not. It's the way I was brought up. [Reginald Rose](https://www.leafyquotes.com/reginald-rose.md) · [Twelve Angry Men](https://www.leafyquotes.com/reginald-rose/twelve-angry-men.md) · p. 57 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/reginald-rose/twelve-angry-men/11th-juror-i-beg.md) Topics: [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > Everyone was polite; no one was happy. [Charles Sheffield](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield.md) · [Summertide](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/summertide.md) · p. 126 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/summertide/everyone-was-polite.md) Topics: [happiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/happiness.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > People make a great mystery of the ways of society, as if, at the age when these ways are acquired, we did not take to them quite naturally, and as if the first laws of politeness were not to be found in a kindly heart. True politeness consists in showing our goodwill towards men; it shows its presence without any difficulty; those only who lack this goodwill are compelled to reduce the outward signs of it to an art. [Jean Jacques Rousseau](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau.md) · [Emile; or On Education](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education/people-make-a-great.md) Topics: [kindness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/kindness.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > Their children have neither the tone nor the manner of suppliants; they are as haughty or even more haughty in their entreaties than in their commands, as though they were more certain to be obeyed. You see at once that "If you please" means "It pleases me," and "I beg" means "I command." What a fine sort of politeness which only succeeds in changing the meaning of words so that every word is a command! For my own part, I would rather Emile were rude than haughty, that he should say "Do this" as a request, rather than "Please" as a command. What concerns me is his meaning, not his words. [Jean Jacques Rousseau](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau.md) · [Emile; or On Education](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education/their-children-have.md) Topics: [words](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/words.md), [upbringing](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/upbringing.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > Above all, beware of teaching the child empty phrases of politeness, which serve as spells to subdue those around him to his will, and to get him what he wants at once. The artificial education of the rich never fails to make them politely imperious, by teaching them the words to use so that no one will dare to resist them. [Jean Jacques Rousseau](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau.md) · [Emile; or On Education](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education/above-all-beware.md) Topics: [wealth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/wealth.md), [upbringing](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/upbringing.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely. [William Somerset Maugham](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham.md) · [A Writer's Notebook](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham/a-writers-notebook.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham/a-writers-notebook/at-a-dinner.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [conversation](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conversation.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > It's very hard to be a gentleman and a writer. [William Somerset Maugham](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham.md) · [Cakes And Ale](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham/cakes-and-ale.md) · p. 157 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham/cakes-and-ale/its-very-hard.md) Topics: [writers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/writers.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > Eumenes showed little taste for elaborate protocols; he was far too intelligent for that. [Arthur C. Clarke](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-c-clarke.md) · [Time's Eye](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-c-clarke/times-eye.md) · p. 255 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-c-clarke/times-eye/eumenes-showed-little.md) Topics: [intelligence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/intelligence.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md) > Some people did not like this ceremonious style. But after all when you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite. [Winston S. Churchill](https://www.leafyquotes.com/winston-s-churchill.md) · [The Second World War: Closing The Ring](https://www.leafyquotes.com/winston-s-churchill/the-second-world-war-closing-the-ring.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/winston-s-churchill/the-second-world-war-closing-the-ring/some-people-did.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [good manners](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/good-manners.md), [dark humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/dark-humor.md)