The idea that people can behave naturally, without resorting to an artificial code tacitly agreed upon by their society, is as silly as the idea that they can communicate by a spoken language without commonly accepted semantic and grammatical rules.

We already know that anonymous letters are despicable. In etiquette, as well as in law, hiring a hit man to do the job does not relieve you of responsibility.

It is said that dispensing advice is easy. What is difficult is getting anyone to listen to it.

Only a person who considers himself too good for you is good enough.

People say when you're in love, you don't need etiquette. Well, you need it then more than anything. Or they say, "At home I can just be myself." What they mean is they can be their worst selves... They always mean they will save all their anxiety about how to behave for somebody like the head waiter of a restaurant, someone they'll never see again.

Learn graceful ways of saying no and of pointing out that this pressure to do something is not in line with most people's wishes.

You don't want to look too chic at a Washington party or people will think you don't have a job worth losing.