Maggie Smith credited as playing...
Violet Crawley
- Lady Mary Talbot: What are you up to, granny?
- Violet Crawley: Well, ideally, I would like Maud to see your father as the son she never had.
- Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: Will she be the mother I never had?
- Violet Crawley: Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.
- Violet Crawley: Machiavelli is frequently underrated. He had many qualities.
- Isobel Merton: So did Caligula - not all of them charming.
- Isobel Merton: Oh Violet. After all these years you still astonish me.
- Violet Crawley: Oh good, I'm glad I'm a revelation and not a disappointment.
- Lord Merton: Who are those men measuring on the green as we came past?
- Lady Mary: They are building the dais for the queen at the parade.
- Lord Merton: Oh, how exciting.
- Isobel Merton: Seems rather a waste of money.
- Violet Crawley: Oh, here we go.
- Cora Crawley: Isn't that what the monarchy's for? To brighten the lives of the nation with stateliness and glamor.
- Isobel Merton: To quote Tennyson, "Kind hearts are more than coronets, And simple faith than Norman blood."
- Violet Crawley: Will you have enough clichés to get you through the visit?
- Isobel Merton: If not, I'll come to you.
- Violet Crawley: Of course, little Mary, could hammer in a tent peg with her teeth.
- Isobel Merton: I wonder who she got that from?
- Violet Crawley: You know, I'm always surprised when you praise me.
- Isobel Merton: I'm surprised to hear that I have.
- Maud Bagshaw: I'm afraid you'll dislike it, but she says that she and Tom Branson have agreed to correspond.
- Violet Crawley: Dislike it? I will *lick* the stamps myself.
- Robert Crawley: Good night, Mama. Remember to pray for us. Mainly, for better weather.
- Violet Crawley: I'll put in a word.
- Bertie Hexham: How could you know that and how could you prove it?
- Violet Crawley: We find a friendly judge.
- Robert Crawley: Friendly or corrupt?
- Violet Crawley: Whichever does the trick.
- Maud Bagshaw: You are amazing, Violet. You haven't won, you know.
- Violet Crawley: I don't believe in defeat.
- Robert Crawley: Are you here for dinner, Mama? It's a buffet.
- Violet Crawley: Well, I'm not changed.
- Lady Edith: We won't change either. So, you just need to take off your hat.
- Violet Crawley: You talk as if that were easy.
- Violet Crawley: How comforting to see you here, Carson. What prompted you to take up the flaming sword again?
- Mr Carson: I felt I should go where I could do the most good, milady.
- Violet Crawley: Wise words for all of us.
- King George V: And you, Lady Grantham, were you affected by the general strike?
- Violet Crawley: Well, my maid was rather curt with me. While it was wrong, sir, but, you know, she is a Communist - at heart. So, I suppose it was to be expected.
- [to Lady Mary]
- Violet Crawley: You are the future of Downton. You'll take over from where I left off. You'll be the frightening old lady keeping everyone up to the mark. You'll be the best of me that will live on.