Courtesy on one side never lasts long.
Meaning: Politeness requires mutual effort; when only one person maintains kindness, the relationship deteriorates quickly.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Perseverance
- A crow is never the whiter for washing herself often. — External efforts cannot change one's fundamental nature or inherent qualities.
- It never goes well when the hen crows. — When women assume traditionally male roles or authority, social disorder follows.
- Cruelty is a tyrant always attended by fear. — Fear haunts the cruel because their victims will seek retribution when opportunity allows.
- What cannot be cured must be endured. — Accept hardships beyond your control rather than waste energy resisting the inevitable.
- Never venture out of your depth until you can swim. — Avoid situations beyond your capability until you've mastered the necessary skills.
- Desert and reward seldom keep company. — Virtue without recognition tests whether you act from integrity or merely for praise.
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