Flattery Quotes - Page 17

• If solitude deprives of the benefit of advice, it also excludes from the mischief of flattery. But the absence of others' applause is generally supplied by the flattery of one's own breast.

  William Benton Clulow

  Advice, Solitude, Benefits

  William Benton Clulow (1843). “Aphorisms and Reflections: A Miscellany of Thought and Opinion”, p.141

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• Blame-all and Praise-all are two blockheads.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Two, Criticism, Blame

  Poor Richard's Almanack, Feb. 1734

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• The eyes of men love to pluck the blossoms from the faded flowers they turn away.

  Sophocles

  Flower, Eye, Men

  David Grene, Sophocles (1959). “Sophocles”, [Chicago] : University of Chicago Press

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• That little hypocrites and half-crazed people dare to imagine that on their account the laws of nature are constantly broken; such an enhancement of every kind of selfishness to infinity, to impudence, cannot be branded with sufficient contempt. And yet Christianity owes its triumph to this pitiable flattery of personal vanity.

  Friedrich Nietzsche

  Hypocrite, Vanity, Law

  Friedrich Nietzsche (2012). “Twilight of the Idols and The Antichrist”, p.120, Courier Corporation

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• I think imitation is always the greatest form of flattery.

  Simon de Pury

  Thinking, Imitation, Form

  Interview with Bevy Smith, www.interviewmagazine.com. November 26, 2008.

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• A little flattery makes people feel good about themselves. When you notice someone looking great, give them a compliment.

  Ken Blanchard

  People, Giving, Feel Good

  Twitter post from Mar 04, 2015

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• What makes you attractive is being yourself, being natural, being unaware. Even though makeup is important, you should do it all, and then forget about it. You don't want to look like anyone else, any more than you want to be anyone else. You want to look like you. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery - but it's flattering to someone else. Not to you.

  Diane von Furstenberg

  Being Yourself, Makeup, Important

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• I have trod a measure, I have flattered a lady, I have
  been politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy.

  William Shakespeare

  Dancing, Dancer, Enemy

  William Shakespeare, Alan Brissenden (1998). “As You Like it”, p.219, Oxford University Press, USA

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• They told me I was everything. 'Tis a lie, I am not ague-proof.

  William Shakespeare

  Lying, Humanity, Proof

  'King Lear' (1605-6) act 4, sc. 6, l. [107]

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• Excellent flatterers welcome attentive audiences; mighty potentates enjoy public praise. In the most pleasing situation, a flatterer would genuinely admire the flatteree, please that person, please other present company, be pleased to stagger rivals, and get something out of it: applause, promotion, a favor, reciprocal praise. Flattery is as social as a banquet.

  Willis Regier

  Rivals, Favors, Welcome

  Willis Goth Regier (2007). “In Praise of Flattery”, p.4, U of Nebraska Press

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• Flattery is a foolish suicide; she destroys herself with her own hands.

  Edward Gibbon

  Suicide, Hands, Foolish

  Edward Gibbon (1787). “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire”, p.401

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• People generally despise where they flatter, and cringe to those they would gladly overtop; so that truth and ceremony are two things.

  Marcus Aurelius

  Two, People, Despise

  Marcus Aurelius (Emperor of Rome), André Dacier, Thomas Gataker, Cebes (of Thebes.) (1701). “The Emperor Marcus Antoninus: His Conversation with Himself”, p.211

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• Among all the diseases of the mind there is not one more epidemical or more pernicious than the love of flattery.

  Richard Steele

  Mind, Disease, Pernicious

  Joseph Addison, Sir Richard Steele (1832). “The Spectator: with notes and general index, from the London stereotype edition ...”, p.346

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• Flattery.... gets its kicks by flirting with insult and ridicule.

  Willis Regier

  Flirting, Insult, Ridicule

  Willis Goth Regier (2007). “In Praise of Flattery”, p.13, U of Nebraska Press

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• A little flattery, like a warm bath and soft towel, will let you get along with yourself, lie down with yourself, and sleep.

  Willis Regier

  Lying, Sleep, Compassion

  Willis Goth Regier (2007). “In Praise of Flattery”, p.18, U of Nebraska Press

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• At its best, flattery is truth well dressed, and it is best dressed with fine see-through fabrics. Honest flattery can caress a lover, cover up a gaffe, and muffle aggression.

  Willis Regier

  Fabric, Cover Ups, Lovers

  Willis Goth Regier (2007). “In Praise of Flattery”, p.8, U of Nebraska Press

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• Patron: One who countenances, supports or protects. Commonly a wretch who supports with insolence, and is repaid in flattery.

  Samuel Johnson

  Support, Patronage, Insolence

  "A Dictionary of the English Language". Book by Samuel Johnson, 1755.

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• Now, in my opinion, a woman has no business with Power-Power admits no equal, and dismisses friendship for flattery. Besides, it keeps the men at a distance, and that is not always what we wish.

  George Edward Moore

  Distance, Men, Wish

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• Flattery is saying something nice in order to help yourself. Encouragement is saying something true in order help someone else.

  Kevin DeYoung

  Encouragement, Nice, Order

  Twitter post from Jul 27, 2015

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• Wounded pride can take a rich young man far who is surrounded by flatterers since birth.

  Stendhal

  Pride, Men, Birth

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• The a priori method is distinguished for its comfortable conclusions. It is the nature of the process to adopt whatever belief weare inclined to, and there are certain flatteries to the vanity of man which we all believe by nature, until we are awakened from our pleasing dream by rough facts.

  Charles Sanders Peirce

  Dream, Believe, Men

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• Tis a barbarous temper, and a sign of a very ill nature, to take delight in shocking any one: and, on the contrary, it is the mark of an amiable and a beneficent temper, to say all the kind things one can, without flattery or playing the hypocrite,--and what never fails of procuring the love and esteem of every one; which, next to doing good to a deserving object who wants it, is one of the greatest pleasures of this life.

  Samuel Richardson

  Hypocrite, Want, Next

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• One can also be undignified and flattering toward a virtue.

  Friedrich Nietzsche

  Virtue, Flattering

  Friedrich Nietzsche (2016). “The Joyful Wisdom”, p.222, Friedrich Nietzsche

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• It is visible then that it was not any Heathen Religion or other Idolatrous Superstition, that first put Man upon crossing his Appetites and subduing his dearest Inclinations, but the skilful Management of wary Politicians; and the nearer we search into human Nature, the more we shall be convinced, that the Moral Virtues are the Political Offspring which Flattery begot upon Pride.

  Bernard de Mandeville

  Pride, Men, Political

  Bernard de Mandeville (1723). “The Fable of the Bees”, p.23, Jazzybee Verlag

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• Many a maid have I won by a quarrel, when flattery was in no wise helpful; but take heed that thou art in the wrong, so that thou mayest acknowledge thine error.

  Gelett Burgess

  Wise, Art, Errors

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