When insults had class

Coldshooter

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These have been around before but I don't remember them here.

These glorious insults are from an era before a great portion of the English language got boiled down to 4-letter words, not to mention waving middle fingers.

The exchange between Churchill & Lady Astor: She said, "If you were my husband I'd give you poison," and he said, "If you were my wife, I'd drink it."

A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease." "That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "on whether I embrace your policies or your mistress"

"He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr

"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." - Winston Churchill

"A modest little person, with much to be modest about." - Winston Churchill

"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow

"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the Dictionary." - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway)

"Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?"- Ernest Hemingway (about William Faulkner)

"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it." - Moses Hadas

"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." - Abraham Lincoln

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain

"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." - Oscar Wilde

"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend.... If you have one." - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill

"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... If there is One." - Winston Churchill, in response.

"I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here." - Stephen Bishop

"He is a self-made man and worships his creator." - John Bright

"I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." - Irvin S. Cobb

"He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others." - Samuel Johnson

"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." - Paul Keating

"There's nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won't cure." - Jack E. Leonard

"He has the attention span of a lightning bolt." - Robert Redford

"They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge." - Thomas Brackett Reed

"In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily." - Charles, Count Talleyrand

"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." - Forrest Tucker

"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" - Mark Twain

"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." - Mae West

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts.. For support rather than illumination. " - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

"He has Van Gogh's ear for music." - Billy Wilder

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it." - Groucho Marx
 
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Years ago, as a human resources director, I was asked by a former employee to write a letter of recommendation for him; I knew him to be, putting it mildly, a lazy goof-off.

I did write a letter for him, in which I wrote "You'll be lucky if you can get him to work for you."

I DO strive to be truthful.

John
 
I believe this is another Churchill quote but not positive.

When Winston had been in his cups, a woman stated, "sir, you are drunk" to which he replied, "Madam, you are ugly but tomorrow, I shall be sober".
 
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Dorothy Parker and a snide woman of her acquaintance arrived at a door at the same time.

"Age before beauty," said the other woman, waving Parker to go ahead.

"Pearls before swine," Parker replied sweetly, and walked through the door.
 
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On a state occasion in England the Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal Newman were sharing a carriage.

The Archbishop remarked that it was fitting they ride together, "since we both serve God."

"Ah, yes," said Newman, "you in your way and I in His."
 
"I wouldn't be part of any club that would have me as a member." Groucho Marx
 
This one was from me:
We were at my Grandmothers 80th birthday party. The whole family was there, including my irritating cousin Mark. Grandma had a cake and they told her to blow out the candles and make a wish. After she did so I leaned over to one of my favorite Aunts and said "I guess she didn't get her wish.... Mark's still here".:eek:
She about fell out of her chair laughing.:cool:
Jim
 
Churchill, Shaw and others

Shaw sent Churchill tickets to his play and said, "Bring a friend, if you have one." Churchill replied, "I can't come the first night, but I'll be there the second night, if you have one."

A woman told Churchill, "Winston, if I were your wife, I'd poison your coffee." To which he replied, "And if I were your husband, I'd drink it."

John Montague to John Wilkes: "Sir, you will die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease." Wilkes replied, "That depends, Sir, on whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."

Shaw responding to a review of his play: “I am in the smallest room of the house. I have your review in front of me. Soon it will be behind me.”
 
Shaw sent Churchill tickets to his play and said, "Bring a friend, if you have one." Churchill replied, "I can't come the first night, but I'll be there the second night, if you have one."

A woman told Churchill, "Winston, if I were your wife, I'd poison your coffee." To which he replied, "And if I were your husband, I'd drink it."

John Montague to John Wilkes: "Sir, you will die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease." Wilkes replied, "That depends, Sir, on whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."

Aren't those in the OP's post?
 
It is said that somebody told Oscar Wilde, "I passed your house yesterday."
Wilde replied, "Thank You". :D
 
Avoiding four letter words won't always keep you out of trouble.

And people now days think politics are rough?

Arron Burr (Vice President) shot and killed Alexander Hamilton (Sec. of the treasury) for calling him a "Scoundrel and a scalawag" ( he probably was)
 

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