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Who really said it

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

Written as fictional dialogue by Rudyard Kipling 1865–1936 · British writer
Verified Free to reuse

Rudyard Kipling wrote this for Mrs. Mallowe in “A Second-rate Woman” (1888), collected in Under the Deodars. Another character immediately replies that she prefers to believe the worst.

Last verified 9 Nov 2026 · how we verify · spot an error?

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“I always prefer to believe the best of everybody. It saves so much trouble” Rudyard Kipling, “A Second-rate Woman” (1888); spoken by the fictional Mrs. Mallowe, with an opposing reply immediately afterward.

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In context

Evoking the world of Rudyard Kipling — British writer. Theme: "I always prefer to believe the best of everybody. It saves so much trouble". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.

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Provenance

The source

Story
A Second-rate Woman
First publication
The Week’s News, 8 September 1888, according to Kipling Society
Voice
Mrs. Mallowe, fictional character

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

Original story text

How we verified this

Public domain

The checked wording is English fiction first published in 1888. The underlying story text is in the United States public domain.

Rights status is our research, not legal advice — and copyright varies by country and edition. For commercial or published use, confirm with the rightsholder. See terms.

Context

Why it mattered

Mrs. Hauksbee and Mrs. Mallowe are gossiping about acquaintances in Simla. Their opposed preferences make the remark part of a comic exchange about social judgment, rather than a single moral position presented without a countervoice.

Explore

Filed under

More provenance-checked quotes on the same theme, each with its reuse status.

Kindness Doubt Wisdom

Go further

Dig deeper

Trusted places to keep pulling the thread — primary archives, fact-checks, and scholarship. We show how we used each one before you leave.

Original story textwww.gutenberg.org

Exact sentences are spoken by Mrs. Mallowe and immediately answered with the opposite preference.
QI: fictional dialogue contextquoteinvestigator.com

Traces the wording to Kipling’s 1888 story and distinguishes its fictional speaker from Kipling himself.
Kipling Society story guidewww.kiplingsociety.co.uk

Dates first publication to The Week’s News, 8 September 1888, and describes the Simla social setting.
Rudyard Kipling biographyen.wikipedia.org

Biographical reference identifies major works, life dates and 1907 Nobel Prize.

The author

About Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

1865–1936 · British writer

Rudyard Kipling wrote stories, novels and poems shaped by British India and imperial life. His books include The Jungle Book and Kim; he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907.

For writers & researchers

Cite this

The primary source (Chicago)

Kipling, Rudyard. “A Second-rate Woman.” 1888. Collected in Under the Deodars.

This verification page

Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘I always prefer to believe the best of everybody. It saves so much trouble’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/i-always-prefer-to-believe-the-best-of-everybody-it-saves/

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