When Insults Had Class...

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."

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

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." Originally Posted by TexTushHog

Wow, that last line is quite beautiful.

Leah Ireland

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

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

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."

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." Originally Posted by Gryphon

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.