A small wedding is not necessarily one to which very few people are invited. It is one to which the person you are addressing is not invited.

Charming villains have always had a decided social advantage over well-meaning people who chew with their mouths open.

When virtues are pointed out first, flaws seem less insurmountable.

The simple idea that everyone needs a reasonable amount of challenging work in his or her life, and also a personal life, complete with noncompetitive leisure, has never really taken hold.

The etiquette of intimacy is very different from the etiquette of formality, but manners are not just something to show off to the outside world. If you offend the head waiter, you can always go to another restaurant. If you offend the person you live with, it's very cumbersome to switch to a different family.

Most people who work at home find they do not have the benefit of receptionists who serve as personal guards

Everybody's an art critic.