Benjamin Franklin
(1706–1790) American author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, …
“Honesty in its widest sense is always admirable. The trite saying that 'honesty is the best policy' has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The seems to be true. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy.”
"Memoirs of Robert E. Lee" by A. L. Long (1886)
1870s
Help us to complete the source, original and additional information
Do you have more details about the quote "Honesty in its widest sense is always admirable. The trite saying that 'honesty is the best policy' has met with the ju…" by Robert E. Lee?
Robert E. Lee 55
Confederate general in the Civil War 1807–1870Related quotes
“Honesty is always the best policy, even when it's not the trend.”
Sean Covey
(1964) author; business executive
Source: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: The Ultimate Teenage Success Guide
“Honesty is the best policy — when there is money in it.”
Mark Twain
(1835–1910) American author and humorist
Speech to Eastman College (1901)
George Bernard Shaw
(1856–1950) Irish playwright
"Rungs of the Ladder" http://books.google.com/books?id=HLpRc3rm5b8C, BBC Radio broadcast, 11 July 1932
1930s
Source: The Mad Man (1994), p. 67; ellipses in the original
George Washington
(1732–1799) first President of the United States
1790s, Farewell Address (1796)
Context: Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world; so far, I mean, as we are now at liberty to do it; for let me not be understood as capable of patronizing infidelity to existing engagements. I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is always the best policy. I repeat it, therefore, let those engagements be observed in their genuine sense. But, in my opinion, it is unnecessary and would be unwise to extend them.
Margaret Fuller
(1810–1850) American feminist, poet, author, and activist
Summer On The Lakes, in 1843 (1844) http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11526.