“I have not the power adequately to describe them without committing a breach of the laws of decent speech.”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: From Gandhi's essay/pamphlet 'Third Class in Indian Railways' (1917); a genuine Gandhi work, but this specific line was not verbatim-confirmed against the text.
About this quote
Some conditions are foul enough that a plain, honest account would drag speech into the gutter — and the choice made here is to stop short rather than answer indecency with indecency. Restraint like this can register outrage more sharply than crude words would, by letting the gap speak.
When to use it
- A witness describing a filthy facility keeps her language measured, and the calm account lands harder than shouting.
- A reviewer condemns a business's conduct without a single slur, letting the plain facts do the damning.
- A parent reporting a coach's misconduct stays civil in the complaint, which makes it impossible to wave away.