“Miss Manners fails to understand why philanthropists would turn from the needy to the greedy, but she is not in the business… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“Miss Manners hereby absolves everyone from feeling any embarrassment deliberately imposed by others.” — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“Eating grapes with a knife and fork is not what one would call refined. It is what one would call ludicrous.” — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
It is one of Miss Manners's great discoveries that one needn't contradict others in order to set them straight. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Whamming someone smaller than oneself in order to teach that person civilized behavior is not within Miss Manners' concept of propriety, much… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“Miss Manners remembers who should be introduced to whom, but then she also remembers the difference between “who” and “whom.” The formula… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Miss Manners herself, while never rude, is given to pulling a fast pinch in the way of a handshake on those who… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Nowadays, we never allow ourselves the convenience of being temporarily unavailable, even to strangers. With telephone and beeper, people subject themselves to… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“Miss Manners’ meager arsenal consists only of the withering look, the insistent and repeated request, the cold voice, the report up the… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“College women are typically given to declaring for one or the other (in my day, for marriage; now, generally, for careers), and… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Indeed, Miss Manners has come to believe that the basic political division in this country is not between liberals and conservatives but… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Nobody believes that the man who says, 'Look, lady, you wanted equality,' to explain why he won't give up his seat to… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Miss Manners does not mind explaining the finer points of gracious living, but she feels that anyone without the sense to pick… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“Miss Manners corrects only upon request. Then she does it from a distance, with no names attached, and no personal relationship, however… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“One of the major mistakes people make is that they think manners are only the expression of happy ideas. There’s a whole… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“There was no singles problem until singles got so single-minded that they stopped wasting time with anyone ineligible. Before that, it was… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Shame is the proper reaction when one has purposefully violated the accepted behavior of society. Inflicting it is etiquette's response when its… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“As if etiquette weren’t magnificently capable of being used to make others feel uncomfortable. All right. Miss Manners will give you an… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“One can become quite proficient at this amiable patter; the trick is to omit the instructive parts when attending formal dinner parties… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“DEAR MISS MANNERS: When does a gentleman offer his arm to a lady as they are walking down the street together? GENTLE… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“Humility is easy, although Miss Manners much admires brilliant humility. The usual variety, with its claims about feeling awed and hoping to… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“DEAR MISS MANNERS: Should you tell your mother something if it is important when she is talking to company? I am six.… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“DEAR MISS MANNERS: I a tired of being treated like a child. My father says it's because I am a child--I am… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“Relax!” “Don’t go to so much trouble!” “Why don’t you use plastic glasses?” “Take off your jacket!” “Why don’t you use paper… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
. . . women were brought up to have only one set of manners. A woman was either a lady or she… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
GENTLE READER: You, sir, are an anarchist, and Miss Manners is frightened to have anything to do with you. It is true… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. — Judith Martin Copy Share
If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is… — Judith Martin Copy Share
The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this. — Judith Martin Copy Share
Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.… — Judith Martin Copy Share
Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe that their… — Judith Martin Copy Share
We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them. — Judith Martin Copy Share
“Lady” is not used before the lady’s first name unless she is the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl; those who come by… — Judith Martin Copy Share
Adorable children are considered to be the general property of the human race. Rude children belong to their mothers. — Judith Martin Copy Share
I have always believed that the key to a happy marriage was the ability to say with a straight face, 'Why, I don't know… — Judith Martin Copy Share
It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right. — Judith Martin Copy Share
Honesty is a virtue, but not the only one. If you're in a courtroom you need the whole truth and nothing but the truth;… — Judith Martin Copy Share
Society cannot exist without etiquette ... It never has, and until our own century, everybody knew that. — Judith Martin Copy Share
