“The gentleman, then, is the man who is master of himself, who respects himself, and makes others respect him.”
- Source
- Amiel's Journal
- Date
- 1866
- English wording
- Mary Augusta Ward — Translator · from French
Meaning of “The gentleman, then, is the man who is…”
Amiel links dignity with self-command and self-respect, suggesting that social respect is strongest when it grows from conduct and standards rather than from demanded recognition.
Where does it come from?
Amiel's Journal, entry dated April 6, 1866, in Mary Augusta Ward’s public-domain English translation; the entry reflects on the qualities of a gentleman.