Flattery Quotes - Page 3

• Nature has hardly formed a woman ugly enough to be insensible to flattery upon her person.

  Lord Chesterfield

  Ugly, Enough, Persons

  Lord Chesterfield, David Roberts (2008). “Lord Chesterfield's Letters”, p.60, Oxford University Press

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• The flattery is nice, but awards don't add up to writing quality songs.

  Chantal Kreviazuk

  Song, Nice, Writing

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• Flattery in courtship is the highest insolence, for whilst it pretends to bestow on you more than you deserve, it is watching an opportunity to take from you what you really have.

  Sarah Fielding

  Opportunity, Insolence, Courtship

  Sarah Fielding, Jane Collier (1754). “The Cry: A New Dramatic Fable”, p.45

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• We swallow with one gulp the lie that flatters us, and drink drop by drop the truth which is bitter to us.

  Denis Diderot

  Lying, Bitter, Drink

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• But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestations; for a wolf resembles a dog, so doth a flatterer a friend.

  Walter Raleigh

  Dog, Knows, Hard

  Walter Raleigh (1829). “The Works of Sir Walter Ralegh”, p.562

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• We must be careful how we flatter fools too little, or wise men too much, for the flatterer must act the very reverse of the physician, and administer the strongest dose only to the weakest patient.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Wise, Men, Physicians

  Philip Dormer Stanhope (4th earl of Chesterfield.), Charles Caleb Colton (1861). “Lord Chesterfield's advice to his son on men and manners. To which are added, selections from Colton's 'Lacon'.”, p.154

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• No adulation; 'tis the death of virtue; Who flatters, is of all mankind the lowest Save he who courts the flattery.

  Hannah More

  Virtue, Court, Mankind

  Hannah More (1840). “The Miscellaneous Works of Hannah More”, p.342

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• Flattery, though a base coin, is the necessary pocket money at court; where, by custom and consent, it has obtained such a currency that it is no longer a fraudulent, but a legal payment.

  Bill Vaughan

  Pockets, Coins, Currency

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• The skilful class of flatterers praise the discourse of an ignorant friend and the face of a deformed one.

  Juvenal

  Class, Ignorant, Faces

  "Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations" by Jehiel Keeler Hoyt, p. 276-77, III, line 86, 1922.

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• Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver; and adulation is not of more service to the people than to kings.

  Edmund Burke

  Kings, People, Giver

  Edmund Burke (1826). “The Works of Edmund Burke”, p.37

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• If you tell a woman she is beautiful, whisper it softly, for if the devil hears, he will echo it many times.

  Francis Alexander Durivage

  Beautiful, Echoes, Devil

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• Flattery is often a traffic of mutual meanness, where although both parties intend deception, neither are deceived.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Party, Deception, Traffic

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.439

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• I will praise any man that will praise me.

  William Shakespeare

  Men, Praise

  'Antony and Cleopatra' (1606-7) act 2, sc. 6, l. [88]

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• O that men's ears should be To counsel deaf but not to flattery!

  William Shakespeare

  Men, Ears, Deaf

  William Shakespeare (1853). “The wisdom and genius of Shakspeare: comprising moral philosophy, delineations of character [&c.] with notes and scriptural references [compiled] by T. Price”, p.132

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• A man who flatters a woman hopes either to find her a fool or to make her one.

  Samuel Richardson

  Men, Fool

  Samuel Richardson (1751). “Letters and passages restored from the original manuscripts of the History of Clarissa. To which is subjoined, a collection of such of the moral and instructive sentiments ... contained in the History, as are presumed to be of general use and service ... Published for the sake of doing justice to the purchasers of the first two editions of that work”, p.243

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• Love of flattery, in most men, proceeds from the mean opinion they have of themselves; in women, from the contrary.

  Jonathan Swift

  Mean, Men, Opinion

  Jonathan Swift (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Jonathan Swift (Illustrated)”, p.898, Delphi Classics

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• Praise to the undeserving is severe satire.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Praise, Satire, Undeserving

  Benjamin Franklin (1914). “Poor Richard's Almanack”

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• Adroit observers will find that some who affect to dislike flattery, may yet be flattered indirectly, by a well seasoned abuse and ridicule of their rivals.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Abuse, Rivals, May

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.53

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• Mine eyes Were not in fault, for she was beautiful; Mine ears, that heard her flattery; nor my heart, That thought her like her seeming. It had been vicious To have mistrusted her.

  William Shakespeare

  Beautiful, Heart, Eye

  Cross, William Shakespeare (1989). “William Shakespeare: The Complete Works”, p.1095, Barnes & Noble Publishing

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• Of praise a mere glutton, he swallow'd what came, And the puff a dunce, he mistook it for fame; Till his relish grown callous, almost to displease, Who pepper'd the highest was surest to please.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Puff, Peppers, Praise

  Oliver Goldsmith (1839). “Poetical Works”, p.145

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• Although a skillful flatterer is a most delightful companion if you have him all to yourself, his taste becomes very doubtful when he takes to complimenting other people.

  Charles Dickens

  Funny, People, Literature

  Charles Dickens (1872). “A Cyclopedia of the Best Thoughts of Charles Dickens”, p.197

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• Flattery is an ensnaring quality, and leaves a very dangerous impression. It swells a man's imagination, entertains his vanity, and drives him to a doting upon his own person.

  Jeremy Collier

  Men, Vanity, Imagination

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• Madam, before you flatter a man so grossly to his face, you should consider whether or not your flattery is worth his having.

  Samuel Johnson

  Men, Faces, Should

  Remark to Hannah More, in 'Diary and Letters of Madame D'Arblay' [Fanny Burney] (1842) vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 55 (August 1778)

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• No flattery, boy! an honest man cannot live by it; it is a little, sneaking art, which knaves use to cajole and soften fools withal.

  Thomas Otway

  Art, Men, Boys

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• The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his own way.

  Josh Billings

  Inspirational, Wise, Silly

  Josh Billings (1972). “Uncle Sam's Uncle Josh: Or, Josh Billings on Practically Everything, Distilled from Josh's Rum and Tansy New England Wit by Donald Day”

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