The highest perfection of politeness is only a beautiful edifice, built, from the base to the dome, of ungraceful and gilded forms of charitable and unselfish lying.

Summary

This quote suggests that the pinnacle of politeness is essentially a façade, built upon insincere acts of graciousness and superficial kindness. It implies that true politeness is replaced with deceptive gestures and false altruism, resembling an ornate structure adorned with gold but lacking genuine substance. In essence, it questions the authenticity of polite behavior, highlighting the potential for insincerity and manipulation in our interactions with others.

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