A vulgar regard for appearance is, primarily, a selfish one, resulting not out of a wish to give pleasure (as a wife’s wish to make herself beautiful for her husband), but out of an endeavour to mortify others, or attract for pride’s sake

What is the test of good manners?
It is the being able to put up pleasantly with bad ones.

Politeness is the flower of humanity.
He who is not polite enough is not human enough.

Small kindnesses, small courtesies, small considerations, habitually practised in our social intercourse, give a greater charm to the character than the display of great talents and accomplishments.

And as the love of Christ for small ungifted, humble, faithful persons is a transcendent comfort, no less comfort is the acceptance by Christ of little things, the pity of Christ for evil things, the tenderness of Christ for things despised; 

It is often necessary and kind rather to write letters that amount to nothing than not to write at all

A more obliging Christian would accommodate himself to what was asked of him, and thus would please Almighty God, make himself loved by his superiors, and enjoy that sweet satisfaction which charity produces when joined with humility. 

Talking of one’s own ails and grievances. – Bad enough, but not so bad as insulting the person you talk with by remarking on his ill-looks, or appearing to notice any of his personal peculiarities.

There are many forces that imperil self-respect;  it is undermined by sin, it is mocked and threatened by temptation, it is discouraged by the experience of failure;  only the grace of God, forgiving and renewing us, suffices wholly to repair and reinvigorate it.