When Insults Had Class...

[TexTushHog]

Another bon motte by Churchill, "Up drove an empty cab and out stepped Clement Attle."

Also, John Randolph on Edward Livingston:

"He is a man of splendid abilities, but utterly corrupt. He shines and stinks like rotten mackerel by moonlight."

[Leah Ireland]

Great! I note a lot of the initial ones are from where I'm from - the UK - great wit there.

Some of these I didn't know and greatly like, such as '-"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to
the dictionary." - William Faulkner
(about Ernest Hemingway).'.

If I wasn't so super-careful about not being traced in the rest of my life I'd pass these on.

Leah Ireland x

[Leah Ireland]

Originally Posted by TexTushHog

Another bon motte by Churchill, "Up drove an empty cab and out stepped Clement Attle."

Also, John Randolph on Edward Livingston:

"He is a man of splendid abilities, but utterly corrupt. He shines and stinks like rotten mackerel by moonlight."

Wow, that last line is quite beautiful.

Leah Ireland

[Guest083011]

Originally Posted by Camille

Btw Claudia, welcome to the board. I hadn't realized yesterday that it was your first post. Enjoy! C xx

Echoing Camille's note: Welcome! Glad you could join us!

[Gryphon]

The British are much better at witty putdowns than we Yankees. Some of the comments in RAF performance reviews that I have seen are classic. My favorite: "This officer is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."

[I B Hankering]

Originally Posted by Gryphon

The British are much better at witty putdowns than we Yankees. Some of the comments in RAF performance reviews that I have seen are classic. My favorite: "This officer is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."

Yes, Americans tend to be too blunt.

Your post reminded me of these other Brit military review statements:

- His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity.

- I would not breed from this Officer.

- This Officer is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won't-be.

- When she opens her mouth, it seems that this is only to change whichever foot was previously in there.

- He has carried out each and every one of his duties to his entire satisfaction.

- He would be out of his depth in a car park puddle.

- Technically sound, but socially impossible.

- This Officer reminds me very much of a gyroscope - always spinning around at a frantic pace, but not really going anywhere.

- This young lady has delusions of adequacy.

- When he joined my ship, this Officer was something of a granny; since then he has aged considerably.

- This Medical Officer has used my ship to carry his genitals from port to port, and my officers to carry him from bar to bar.

- Since my last report he has reached rock bottom, and has started to dig.

- She sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.

- He has the wisdom of youth, and the energy of old age.

- This Officer should go far - and the sooner he starts, the better.

- In my opinion this pilot should not be authorized to fly below 250 feet.

- The only ship I would recommend this man for is citizenship.

- Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.