I Always Prefer To Believe the Best of Everybody. It Saves So Much Trouble

Rudyard Kipling? Mrs. Mallowe? Mrs. Hauksbee? Apocryphal?

Dear Quote Investigator: The following quotation embodies an irrepressible optimism:

I always prefer to believe the best of everybody. It saves so much trouble.

The famous author Rudyard Kipling has received credit for this remark, but I haven’t been able to find a citation. Are these really his words? Would you please explore this topic?

Quote Investigator: In 1888 Rudyard Kipling published the collection “Under the Deodars” which included the story “A Second-Rate Woman”. Two characters named Mrs. Mallowe, and Mrs. Hauksbee exchanged comments about their beliefs. Boldface added to excepts by QI:^[1] 1890 (1888 Previous Edition), Under the Deodars by Rudyard Kipling, Story: A Second-Rate Woman, Start Page 65, Quote Page 76, United States Book Company, New York. (Google Books Full View) link

“I am prepared to credit any evil of The Dancing Master, because I hate him so. And The Dowd is so disgustingly badly dressed———.”

“That she, too, is capable of every iniquity? I always prefer to believe the best of everybody. It saves so much trouble.”

“Very good. I prefer to believe the worst. It saves useless expenditure of sympathy.”

Thus, Kipling wrote the remark, but it was spoken by a fictional character. Also, another character immediately presented the opposite viewpoint.

Below are selected citations in chronological order.

In 1899 a writer in the journal “Current Comment” of Topeka, Kansas found Kipling’s dialog noteworthy and reprinted it:^[2] 1899 September 22, Current Comment, “A La Vaudeville”, Quote Page 6, Column 2, Topeka, Kansas. (Newspapers_com)

Here are some bright bits from Kipling’s prose: “I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble.”

“Very good, I prefer to believe the worst, it saves useless expenditure of sympathy.”

In 1955 “Speaker’s Handbook of Epigrams and Witticisms” compiled by Herbert V. Prochnow included the following entry:^[3] 1955, Speaker’s Handbook of Epigrams and Witticisms, Compiled by Herbert V. Prochnow, Topic: Gossip, Quote Page 124, Harper & Brothers, New York . (Verified with scans)

I always prefer to believe the best of everybody; it saves so much trouble. Rudyard Kipling

In 1974 “Instant Quotation Dictionary” compiled by Donald O. Bolander contained this entry:^[4]1974, Instant Quotation Dictionary, Compiled by Donald O. Bolander, Dolores D. Varner, Gary B. Wright, and Stephanie H. Greene, Topic: Faith, Quote Page 111, Career Institute, Mundelein, Illinois. … Continue reading

I always prefer to believe the best of everybody—it saves so much trouble.
Rudyard Kipling

In 1997 the same entry appeared in “Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes: Wit and Wisdom for All Occasions”.^[5] 1997, Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes: Wit and Wisdom for All Occasions, Quote Page 69, Published by Reader’s Digest Association, Pleasantville, New York. (Verified with hardcopy)

In conclusion, Rudyard Kipling deserves credit for the quotation under examination. The words were spoken by a fictional character in the story “A Second-Rate Woman”.

(Great thanks to Alayna Johnson whose inquiry led QI to formulate this question and perform this exploration.)