Miss Manners herself, while never rude, is given to pulling a fast pinch in the way of a handshake on those who believe in kissing on, not even the first date, but the first sighting.

Allowing an unimportant mistake to pass without comment is a wonderful social grace.

Chaperons don't enforce morality; they force immorality to be discreet.

Society cannot exist without etiquette ... It never has, and until our own century, everybody knew that.

Protocol is etiquette with a government expense account.

Allowing an unimportant mistake to pass without a comment is a wonderful social grace ... Children who have the habit of constantly correcting should be stopped before they grow up to drive spouses and everyone else crazy by interrupting stories to say, 'No, dear -- it was Tuesday, not Wednesday.

Washington knows that it is not safe to kick people who are down until you find out what their next stop will be.