Etiquette is priceless

Good behaviour makes its marks everywhere and is the key note of social success. Courtesy costs nothing and is priceless. The rude, the roguish, the wicked never truly make a headway, though they may boast of imaginary victories. Bad manners cannot be equalled with strength. The firmness of the polite and the soft spoken could be much stronger and more effective than the roughness of the toughest bully. Etiquette is concerned with a man's behaviour, it is not related to his gains or losses. A man may uphold the best of manners while making a profit, at the same time, he may not forget his gentlemanly ways while losing in the deal. This does not preclude, however, the need for being strong with the adamant, competitive with aggressive, and gentle with the meek and the kindly.

There may be efficiency without etiquette ad etiquette without efficiency. That action is perfect and most fruitful where there is happy blend of the two. Efficiency performs, etiquette establishes.

A personality cannot develop properly where there is no support from a strong character. When politeness changes into rudeness at a moment's notice, a man's personality breaks up like a mask of clay and all his real ugliness is revealed. Handsome s that handsome does is not only a pithy saying but it is also a preamble for any man of good manners.

[From my old diary again. I was such a good boy then ;)]