At every word a reputation dies.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Language is the apparel in which your thoughts parade before the public. Never clothe them in vulgar or shoddy attire.
—George W. Crane (1901–95) American Psychologist, Physician
Gossip is always a personal confession either of malice or imbecility, and the young should not only shun it, but by the most thorough culture relieve themselves from all temptation to it. — It is a low, frivolous, and too often a dirty business.
—Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819–81) American Novelist, Poet
They come together like the Coroner’s Inquest, to sit upon the murdered reputations of the week.
—William Congreve (1670–1729) English Playwright, Poet
Vilify, Vilify, some of it will always stick.
—Pierre Beaumarchais (1732–99) French Inventor, Diplomat, Musician, Fugitive, Revolutionary
Of course we women gossip on occasion. But our appetite for it is not as avid as a man s. It is in the boys gyms, the college fraternity houses, the club locker rooms, the paneled offices of business that gossip reaches its luxuriant flower.
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–78) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Writer of Children’s Books
I don’t care what is written about me so long as it isn’t true.
—Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) American Actor, TV Personality
The monster of advertisement… is a sort of octopus with innumerable tentacles. It throws out to right and left, in front and behind, its clammy arms, and gathers in, through its thousand little suckers, all the gossip and slander and praise afloat, to spit out again at the public.
—Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923) French Actress
A gossip is one who talks to you about others; a bore is one who talks to you about himself; and a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself.
—Lisa Kirk (1925–1990) American Stage, Film, Television Performer
Gossip is the Devil’s radio.
—George Harrison (1943–2001) English Singer
Live that you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Comic, Columnist, Radio Personality
Gossip is the tool of the poet, the shoptalk of the scientist and the consolation of the housewife, wit, tycoon and intellectual. It begins in the nursery and ends when speech is past.
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–78) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Writer of Children’s Books
Gossip isn’t scandal and it’s not merely malicious. It’s chatter about the human race by lovers of the same.
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–78) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Writer of Children’s Books
Rumor grows as it goes.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it ill behooves any of us to find fault with the rest of us.
—Unknown
I lay it down as a fact that if all men knew what others say of them, there would not be four friends in the world.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Gossip isn’t scandal and it’s not merely malicious. It’s chatter about the human race by lovers of the same. Gossip is the tool of the poet, the shop-talk of the scientist, and the consolation of the housewife, wit, tycoon and intellectual. It begins in the nursery and ends when speech is past.
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–78) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Writer of Children’s Books