--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It may be too much to expect that nations…" description: "\"It may be too much to expect that nations should be governed in their relations towards each other by the precepts of Christian morality, but surely it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d7/george-stillman-hillard-22560_asks_it-may-be-too-much-to-expect-that-nation_1513535.jpg" --- # It may be too much to expect that nations should be… ![“It may be too much to expect that nations should be governed in their relations towards each other by the precepts of Christian morality, but surely it is not too much to ask that they should conform to the code of courtesy and good breeding recognized among gentlemen in the intercourse of social…” quote by George Stillman Hillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d7/george-stillman-hillard-22560_asks_it-may-be-too-much-to-expect-that-nation_1513535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d7/george-stillman-hillard-22560_asks_it-may-be-too-much-to-expect-that-nation_1513535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d7/george-stillman-hillard-22560_asks_it-may-be-too-much-to-expect-that-nation_1513535.jpg) > “It may be too much to expect that nations should be governed in their relations towards each other by the precepts of Christian morality, but surely it is not too much to ask that they should conform to the code of courtesy and good breeding recognized among gentlemen in the intercourse of social life.” [George Stillman Hillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stillman-hillard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral standards may differ, but basic courtesy and good breeding should guide international relations. **In simple terms:** Politeness matters in global affairs. Key Takeaway Promote universal courtesy. Themes ethics international relations courtesy civilization morality Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - international conferences - cross‑cultural training Key Concepts social contract gentlemanly conduct global diplomacy Questions to Reflect On - Can universal etiquette truly exist? - How do we balance moral expectations with cultural diversity? A Different Perspective Cultural differences may limit a single code of courtesy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Breeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeding/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-morality/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Conform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conform/) [Courtesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courtesy/) [Courtesy Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courtesy-good-2872625/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Good breeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-breeding/) [Intercourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intercourse/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Morality Surely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-surely-5576931/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Relation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relation/) [Relations Precepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relations-precepts-5576932/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-life/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) ## Related quotes > [There are few defects in our nature so glaring as not to be veiled from observation by politeness and good-breeding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/there-are-few-defects-in-our-nature-so-glaring-as-not-to-be-veiled/) [Stanisław I Leszczyński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/) > [Real good-breeding is independent of the forms and refinements of what has assumed to itself the name of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/real-good-breeding-is-independent-of-the-forms-and-refinements-of/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Yes, yes, children must early be made to practise piety, godliness, and propriety; a person of good breeding is one into whom 'good maxims'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-stirner/yes-yes-children-must-early-be-made-to-practise-piety-godliness-and/) [Max Stirner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-stirner/) > [If proportion is the good breeding of architecture, symmetry, or the answering of one part to another, may be defined as the sanity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/if-proportion-is-the-good-breeding-of-architecture-symmetry-or-the/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Good manners come, as we say, from good breeding or rather are good breeding; and breeding is acquired by habitual action, in response to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/good-manners-come-as-we-say-from-good-breeding-or-rather-are-good/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Good breeding and good nature do incline us rather to help and raise people up to ourselves, than to mortify and depress them, and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/good-breeding-and-good-nature-do-incline-us-rather-to-help-and-raise/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [One principal object of good-breeding is to suit our behaviour to the three several degrees of men, our superiors, our equals, and those below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/one-principal-object-of-good-breeding-is-to-suit-our-behaviour-to-the/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Wisdom and virtue are by no means sufficient, without the supplemental laws of good-breeding, to secure freedom from degenerating into rudeness, or self esteem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/wisdom-and-virtue-are-by-no-means-sufficient-without-the-supplemental/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The religion of England is part of good-breeding. 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