--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Englishman said that he, when…" description: "\"“The Englishman said that he, when captured, had made and kept the following vows to himself: To brush his teeth twice a day, to shave once a day, to w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/kurt-vonnegut-41_quote_the-englishman-said-that-he-when-capture_151184.jpg" --- # The Englishman said that he, when captured, had made and… ![“The Englishman said that he, when captured, had made and kept the following vows to himself: To brush his teeth twice a day, to shave once a day, to wash his face and hands before every meal and after going to the latrine, to polish his shoes once a day, to exercise for at least a half an hour…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/kurt-vonnegut-41_quote_the-englishman-said-that-he-when-capture_151184.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/kurt-vonnegut-41_quote_the-englishman-said-that-he-when-capture_151184.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/kurt-vonnegut-41_quote_the-englishman-said-that-he-when-capture_151184.jpg) > ““The Englishman said that he, when captured, had made and kept the following vows to himself: To brush his teeth twice a day, to shave once a day, to wash his face and hands before every meal and after going to the latrine, to polish his shoes once a day, to exercise for at least a half an hour each morning and then move his bowels, and to look into a mirror frequently, frankly evaluating his appearance, particularly with respect to his posture.”” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A disciplined routine of personal hygiene, exercise, and self‑assessment fosters health, confidence, and self‑respect. **In simple terms:** Daily habits of grooming and exercise build self‑esteem. Key Takeaway Adopt a consistent personal care routine. Themes self‑care discipline health confidence Mood balanced self‑aware Type instructional motivational When to use this quote - daily grooming - morning exercise - mirror checks - shoe polishing Key Concepts hygiene exercise self‑reflection posture Questions to Reflect On - Which habits truly improve your wellbeing? - How can you keep routines flexible? A Different Perspective Rigidity can become obsessive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Vows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vows/) ## Related quotes > [“Now, I know I’m going to break your hearts, but I am forced to leave you. 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It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-whelan/if-any-englishman-said-he-has-never-called-a-chinaman-a-chink-he-is/) Dave Whelan > [“An Englishman once said that he found it easier to be a member of a club than of the human race because the bylaws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/an-englishman-once-said-that-he-found-it-easier-to-be-a-member-of-a/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [The taking of vows that are not feasible or that are beyond one's capacity would betray thoughtlessness and want of balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-taking-of-vows-that-are-not-feasible-or-that-are-beyond-one-s/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [When I got married to my ex-wife, Jemma, I took my vows very, very seriously. I've been brought up with good values and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-thomas/when-i-got-married-to-my-ex-wife-jemma-i-took-my-vows-very-very/) [Gareth Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-thomas/) > [“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-only-trying-to-put-us-down-again/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“The vows of God are on me. I may not stay to play with shadows or pluck earthly flowers till I my work have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/the-vows-of-god-are-on-me-i-may-not-stay-to-play-with-shadows-or/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [There's a security, a validity of knowing that it's legal. It's hard to put into words. It's just a feeling, I guess - something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bomer/there-s-a-security-a-validity-of-knowing-that-it-s-legal-it-s-hard-to/) [Matt Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bomer/) > [It is easy now to break the vows. It is even easier to part your ways if vows haven't been taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/it-is-easy-now-to-break-the-vows-it-is-even-easier-to-part-your-ways/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [All religious vows, codes, and commitments are null & void herein. Please refrain from contaminating the ideosphere with harmful memes through prayer, reverence, holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-erwin/all-religious-vows-codes-and-commitments-are-null-void-herein-please/) Greg Erwin > [I am falser than vows made in wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-am-falser-than-vows-made-in-wine/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is merely the egoism of the man, who wants to bury a woman like a treasure. All attempts at using vows, contracts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/it-is-merely-the-egoism-of-the-man-who-wants-to-bury-a-woman-like-a/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [“His own parents, the estimable Gilchrists, a couple who had taken the 'till death' part of their own wedding vows so seriously he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-blake/his-own-parents-the-estimable-gilchrists-a-couple-who-had-taken-the/) [Ally Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-blake/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Vows quotes > [“His own parents, the estimable Gilchrists, a couple who had taken the 'till death' part of their own wedding vows so seriously he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-blake/his-own-parents-the-estimable-gilchrists-a-couple-who-had-taken-the/) [Ally Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-blake/) > [It is merely the egoism of the man, who wants to bury a woman like a treasure. All attempts at using vows, contracts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/it-is-merely-the-egoism-of-the-man-who-wants-to-bury-a-woman-like-a/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [I am falser than vows made in wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-am-falser-than-vows-made-in-wine/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [All religious vows, codes, and commitments are null & void herein. Please refrain from contaminating the ideosphere with harmful memes through prayer, reverence, holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-erwin/all-religious-vows-codes-and-commitments-are-null-void-herein-please/) Greg Erwin > [It is easy now to break the vows. It is even easier to part your ways if vows haven't been taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/it-is-easy-now-to-break-the-vows-it-is-even-easier-to-part-your-ways/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [There's a security, a validity of knowing that it's legal. It's hard to put into words. It's just a feeling, I guess - something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bomer/there-s-a-security-a-validity-of-knowing-that-it-s-legal-it-s-hard-to/) [Matt Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bomer/) > [“The vows of God are on me. I may not stay to play with shadows or pluck earthly flowers till I my work have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/the-vows-of-god-are-on-me-i-may-not-stay-to-play-with-shadows-or/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-only-trying-to-put-us-down-again/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [When I got married to my ex-wife, Jemma, I took my vows very, very seriously. I've been brought up with good values and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-thomas/when-i-got-married-to-my-ex-wife-jemma-i-took-my-vows-very-very/) [Gareth Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-thomas/) > [The taking of vows that are not feasible or that are beyond one's capacity would betray thoughtlessness and want of balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-taking-of-vows-that-are-not-feasible-or-that-are-beyond-one-s/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Why is it that the very people who have fought so hard and so long for the simple entitlement to love whom they choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/why-is-it-that-the-very-people-who-have-fought-so-hard-and-so-long/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [“What of your vows of vengeance?" "I'm not adding you to the list, if that's what you're wondering. It's over. I know what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-cunningham/what-of-your-vows-of-vengeance-i-m-not-adding-you-to-the-list-if-that/) [Elaine Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-cunningham/) > [New vows to plight, and plighted vows to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/new-vows-to-plight-and-plighted-vows-to-break/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [“Saul tapped his wife's obstinate chin. "Mrs. Benedict, you certainly are. You promised to obey." "That was thirty years ago! Before the wedding ceremony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/saul-tapped-his-wife-s-obstinate-chin-mrs-benedict-you-certainly-are/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [Vows made in storms are forgotten in calm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/vows-made-in-storms-are-forgotten-in-calm/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) [Browse all 253 Vows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vows/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Englishman said that he, when captured, had made and kept the following vows to himself: To brush his teeth twice a day, to shave once a day, to wash his face and hands before every meal and after going to the latrine, to polish his shoes once a day, to exercise for at least a half an hour each morning and then move his bowels, and to look into a mirror frequently, frankly evaluating his appearance, particularly with respect to his posture.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kurt Vonnegut" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-englishman-said-that-he-when-captured-had-made-and-kept-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Vows" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-englishman-said-that-he-when-captured-had-made-and-kept-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/kurt-vonnegut-41_quote_the-englishman-said-that-he-when-capture_151184.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/kurt-vonnegut-41_quote_the-englishman-said-that-he-when-capture_151184.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/kurt-vonnegut-41_quote_the-englishman-said-that-he-when-capture_151184.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Englishman said that he, when captured, had made and kept the following vows to himself: To brush his…” — Kurt Vonnegut", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kurt Vonnegut", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Englishman said that he, when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-englishman-said-that-he-when-captured-had-made-and-kept-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-englishman-said-that-he-when-captured-had-made-and-kept-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```