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The Fashionable World is grown free and easie; our Manners…

“The Fashionable World is grown free and easie; our Manners sit more loose upon us: Nothing is so modish as an agreeable Negligence. In a word, Good Breeding shows it self most, where to an ordinary Eye it appears the least.” quote by Joseph Addison
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“The Fashionable World is grown free and easie; our Manners sit more loose upon us: Nothing is so modish as an agreeable Negligence. In a word, Good Breeding shows it self most, where to an ordinary Eye it appears the least.”

Joseph Addison

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Social manners have become lax; true refinement is subtle and often unnoticed by the casual observer.

In simple terms: Good breeding is subtle, not flashy.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate modest refinement.

Themes

society etiquette culture

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

  • formal events
  • daily interactions
  • online communication

Key Concepts

social norms refinement public behavior

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does “good breeding” look like today?
  • How can subtle refinement be recognized?
A Different Perspective

Modern contexts differ from 18th‑century norms.

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