--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps the summary of good-breeding may…" description: "\"Perhaps the summary of good-breeding may be reduced to this rule. \"Behave unto all men as you would they should behave unto you.\" This will most certai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/henry-fielding-1358_behave_perhaps-the-summary-of-good-breeding-may_2432991.png" --- # Perhaps the summary of good-breeding may be reduced to… ![“Perhaps the summary of good-breeding may be reduced to this rule. "Behave unto all men as you would they should behave unto you." This will most certainly oblige us to treat all mankind with the utmost civility and respect, there being nothing that we desire more than to be treated so by them.” quote by Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/henry-fielding-1358_behave_perhaps-the-summary-of-good-breeding-may_2432991.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/henry-fielding-1358_behave_perhaps-the-summary-of-good-breeding-may_2432991.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/henry-fielding-1358_behave_perhaps-the-summary-of-good-breeding-may_2432991.png) > “Perhaps the summary of good-breeding may be reduced to this rule. "Behave unto all men as you would they should behave unto you." This will most certainly oblige us to treat all mankind with the utmost civility and respect, there being nothing that we desire more than to be treated so by them.” [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Summarizes the Golden Rule, urging universal civility and respect toward others. **In simple terms:** Treat others as you want to be treated. Key Takeaway Practice mutual respect in daily interactions. Themes respect empathy ethics Mood thoughtful hopeful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - interpersonal relationships - community building Key Concepts philosophy social conduct Questions to Reflect On - How consistently do you apply this rule? - What obstacles hinder universal respect? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) [Behave Unto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave-unto-304962/) [Breeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeding/) [Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) [Civility Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility-respect-304964/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Good breeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-breeding/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Rule Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-behave-304965/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Summary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summary/) [Treat Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat-mankind-304963/) [Treated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treated/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) [Utmost Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utmost-civility-304966/) ## Related quotes > [Genuine tolerance does not mean ignoring differences as if differences made no difference. Genuine tolerance means engaging differences within a bond of civility and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-john-neuhaus/genuine-tolerance-does-not-mean-ignoring-differences-as-if/) [Richard John Neuhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-john-neuhaus/) > [Don't ever forget that you're a citizen of this world, and there are things you can do to lift the human spirit, things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/don-t-ever-forget-that-you-re-a-citizen-of-this-world-and-there-are/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I would attend a State of the Union by a president with whom I disagree if I felt she or he was otherwise respectful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-would-attend-a-state-of-the-union-by-a-president-with-whom-i/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [The raillery which is consistent with good-breeding is a gentle animadversion of some foible, which, while it raises the laugh in the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/the-raillery-which-is-consistent-with-good-breeding-is-a-gentle/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Good-breeding is not confined to externals, much less to any particular dress or attitude of the body; it is the art of pleasing, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/good-breeding-is-not-confined-to-externals-much-less-to-any/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Compliments of congratulation are always kindly taken, and cost nothing but pen, ink and paper. I consider them as draughts upon good breeding, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/compliments-of-congratulation-are-always-kindly-taken-and-cost/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-society-or-conversation-to-be-kept-up-in-the-world/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [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. When you see on the continent the well-dressed Englishman come into his ambassador's chapel and put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-religion-of-england-is-part-of-good-breeding-when-you-see-on-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [There are certainly numberless women of fashion who consider it perfectly natural to go miles down Fifth Avenue, or Madison Avenue, yet for whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-romains/there-are-certainly-numberless-women-of-fashion-who-consider-it/) [Jules Romains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-romains/) > [It has been said that true religion will make a man a more thorough gentleman than all the courts in Europe. And it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/it-has-been-said-that-true-religion-will-make-a-man-a-more-thorough/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [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/) ## More by Henry Fielding > [“Though Jones had formerly believed himself in the very prime of youth and vigor, his first encounter with Lady Bellaston both vexed and puzzled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/though-jones-had-formerly-believed-himself-in-the-very-prime-of-youth/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [A good man therefore is a standing lesson to us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-good-man-therefore-is-a-standing-lesson-to-us-all/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Good-breeding is not confined to externals, much less to any particular dress or attitude of the body; it is the art of pleasing, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/good-breeding-is-not-confined-to-externals-much-less-to-any/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Adversity is the trial of principle. Without it, a man hardly knows whether he is honest or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/adversity-is-the-trial-of-principle-without-it-a-man-hardly-knows/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Sir, money, money, the most charming of all things; money, which will say more in one moment than the most elegant lover can in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/sir-money-money-the-most-charming-of-all-things-money-which-will-say/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [The greatest part of mankind labor under one delirium or another; and Don Quixote differed from the rest, not in madness, but the species…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/the-greatest-part-of-mankind-labor-under-one-delirium-or-another-and/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Want compassion is not to be numbered among the general faults of mankind. The black ingredient which fouls our disposition is envy. Hence our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/want-compassion-is-not-to-be-numbered-among-the-general-faults-of/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [It is well known to all great men, that by conferring an obligation they do not always procure a friend, but are certain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/it-is-well-known-to-all-great-men-that-by-conferring-an-obligation/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [One fool at least in every married couple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/one-fool-at-least-in-every-married-couple/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [A lover, when he is admitted to cards, ought to be solemnly silent, and observe the motions of his mistress. He must laugh when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-lover-when-he-is-admitted-to-cards-ought-to-be-solemnly-silent-and/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [If you make money your god, it will plague you like the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/if-you-make-money-your-god-it-will-plague-you-like-the-devil/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [As a conquered rebellion strengthens a government, or as health is more perfectly established by recovery from some diseases; so anger, when removed, often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/as-a-conquered-rebellion-strengthens-a-government-or-as-health-is/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [A wonder lasts but nine days, and then the puppy's eyes are open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-wonder-lasts-but-nine-days-and-then-the-puppy-s-eyes-are-open/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Custom may lead a man into many errors; but it justifies none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/custom-may-lead-a-man-into-many-errors-but-it-justifies-none/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [A grave aspect to a grave character is of much more consequence than the world is generally aware of; a barber may make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-grave-aspect-to-a-grave-character-is-of-much-more-consequence-than/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) [Explore all 246 Henry Fielding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) ## More Behave quotes > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [You can behave as badly as you like in America. Nobody notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/you-can-behave-as-badly-as-you-like-in-america-nobody-notices/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [“Then Olympus it is. But do try to behave. I know it’s hard for you, but… (Delphine) I won’t piss on the floor. (Jericho)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/then-olympus-it-is-but-do-try-to-behave-i-know-it-s-hard-for-you-but/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) > [Why does man behave like perfect idiot? This is the problem I wish to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/why-does-man-behave-like-perfect-idiot-this-is-the-problem-i-wish-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [This is a time in my life where I'm gonna behave like an elegant human being. Or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/this-is-a-time-in-my-life-where-i-m-gonna-behave-like-an-elegant/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [Most people, even in simple risky situations, don't behave the way the theory of utility would have them behave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-raiffa/most-people-even-in-simple-risky-situations-don-t-behave-the-way-the/) [Howard Raiffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-raiffa/) > [As a club, we have an educational purpose: to give back to those people who love Arsenal so that they learn moral values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/as-a-club-we-have-an-educational-purpose-to-give-back-to-those-people/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [What astonishes many of us is not so much that human nature is fundamentally corrupt; we are astonished rather that it does not behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-irving-seiden/what-astonishes-many-of-us-is-not-so-much-that-human-nature-is/) [Morton Irving Seiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-irving-seiden/) > [Do we behave out of fear of punishment, or out of the demands of our heart? For me, it is the latter, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-we-behave-out-of-fear-of-punishment-or-out-of-the-demands-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. 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