The art of the insult has been largely lost.
Once upon a time, a well-placed insult was a social grace. The insultee felt honored at receiving such a barb.
Example: an angry woman once told Sir Winston Churchill “If you were my husband, I’d give you poison!”
Churchill’s reply: “If you were my wife, I’d take it!”
Alas, the insult has degraded to the unseemly barb as exemplified by the petty spats between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Today’s FamilyFirst pick pays homage to the clever jab. It’s called When Insults Had Class.
The insulters are from among the greats of history, including Hemingway, Faulkner, Groucho Marx, Twain, Wilde, Lincoln, Keating, and many more familiar names.
A well-directed insult is an honor, whether given or received.
http://www.allowe.com/Humor/book/When%20Insults%20Had%20Class.htm
