Praise Quotes - Page 13

• Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them.

  Francois de La Rochefoucauld

  Wisdom, People, Criticism

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• Honourable mention encourages science, and merit is fostered by praise.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  Merit

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• He that applauds him who does not deserve praise, is endeavoring to deceive the public; he that hisses in malice or sport, is an oppressor and a robber.

  Samuel Johnson

  Sports, Doe, Deceiving

  Samuel Johnson (1800). “The Idler: With Additional Essays”, p.86

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• It requires but little acquaintance with the heart to know that woman's first wish is to be handsome; and that, consequently, the readiest method of obtaining her kindness is to praise her beauty.

  Samuel Johnson

  Kindness, Heart, Wish

  Samuel Johnson, Hester Lynch Piozzi, James Boswell (1804). “The beauties of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: consisting of maxims and observations, moral, critical, and miscellaneous: to which are now added biographical anecdotes of the doctor, selected from the works of Mrs. Piozzi;--his Life, recently published by Mr. Boswell, and other authentic testimonies; also his will, and the sermon he wrote for the late Doctor Dodd”, p.135

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• I have always hated biography, and more especially, autobiography. If biography, the writer invariably finds it necessary to plaster the subject with praises, flattery and adulation and to invest him with all the Christian graces. If autobiography, the same plan is followed, but the writer apologizes for it.

  Carolyn Wells

  Christian, Grace, Biographies

  Carolyn Wells (1937). “The Rest of My Life”

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• Theirs is the present who can praise the past.

  William Shenstone

  Past

  Oliver Goldsmith, Tobias Smollett, Samuel Johnson, William Shenstone (1861). “Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith, Tobias Smollett, Samuel Johnson and William Shenstone”

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• The villain's censure is extorted praise.

  Alexander Pope

  Villain, Censure

  Alexander Pope (1847). “The works of Alexander Pope, with notes and illustrations, by himself and others. To which are added, a new life of the author [&c.] by W. Roscoe”, p.302

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• Praise is sunshine; it warms, it inspires, it promotes growth; blame and rebuke are rain and hail; they beat down and bedraggle, even though they may at times be necessary.

  Harriet Beecher Stowe

  Rain, Sunshine, Inspire

  Harriet Beecher Stowe (1875). “We and Our Neighbors: Or, The Records of an Unfashionable Street: (Sequel to "My Wife and I.") A Novel”, p.325

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• If we regulate our conduct according to our own convictions, we may safely disregard the praise or censure of others.

  Blaise Pascal

  May, Conviction, Disregard

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• I manage to think twice about everything / Why will they like me as they do / Or not as they do / Why will they praise me as they do / Or praise me not not as they do.

  Gertrude Stein

  Thinking, Think Twice, Like Me

  Gertrude Stein (1956). “Stanzas in meditation, and other poems, 1929-1933”

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• The highest thoughts are those which are least dependent on language, and the dignity of any composition and praise to which it is entitled are in exact proportion to its dependency of language or expression.

  John Ruskin

  Expression, Dignity, Language

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• Too much praise makes you feel you must be doing something terribly wrong.

  Dorothy Day

  Too Much, Feels

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• Coaches and headmasters praise sport as a preparation for the great game of life, but this is absurd. Nothing could be more different from life. For one thing sports, unlike life, are played according to rules. Indeed, the rules are the sport: life may behave bizarrely and still be life, but if the runner circles the bases clockwise it's no longer baseball.

  Barbara Holland

  Sports, Baseball, Games

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• Commending a right thing is a cheap substitute for doing it, with which we are too apt to satisfy ourselves.

  Hannah More

  Substitutes, Right Thing

  Hannah More (1840). “The Miscellaneous Works of Hannah More”, p.534

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• I believe that you should praise people whenever you can; it causes them to respond as a thirsty plant responds to water.

  Mary Kay Ash

  Believe, People, Water

  Mary Kay Ash (2009). “The Mary Kay Way: Timeless Principles from America's Greatest Woman Entrepreneur”, p.37, John Wiley & Sons

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• I believe that in order to be a good leader you must understand the value of praising people to success.

  Mary Kay Ash

  Leadership, Believe, Order

  Mary Kay Ash (2009). “The Mary Kay Way: Timeless Principles from America's Greatest Woman Entrepreneur”, p.37, John Wiley & Sons

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• The best work is a fusion of love and praise.

  Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

  Work, Fusion, Best Work

  Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (1992). “The Astonishing World: Essays”, Houghton Mifflin

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• Honesty, by evil fortune tried,
  Finds in adversity the seed of praise.

  Ovid

  Honesty, Adversity, Evil

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• Though strength be wanting, the will to action
  Merits praise.

  Ovid

  Merit, Action

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• Applause abates diligence.

  Samuel Johnson

  Diligence, Applause

  Samuel Johnson (1797). “The Beauties of Samuel Johnson, Etc. (A New Edition, Being the Ninth.).”, p.29

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• The praise that comes from love does not make us vain, but more humble.

  James M. Barrie

  Love, Humble, Doe

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• Anything in any way beautiful derives its beauty from itself and asks nothing beyond itself. Praise is no part of it, for nothing is made worse or better by praise.

  Marcus Aurelius

  Beauty, Beautiful, Way

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• Some are made modest by great praise, others insolent.

  Friedrich Nietzsche

  Made, Modest, Insolent

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• Virtues are acquired through endeavor, Which rests wholly upon yourself. So, to praise others for their virtues Can but encourage one's own efforts.

  Thomas Paine

  Encouraging, Encouragement, Motivation

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• What the sayer of praise is really praising is himself, by saying implicitly, My eyes are clear." Likewise, someone who criticizes is criticizing himself, saying implicitly, "I can't see very well with my eyes so inflamed.

  Rumi

  Eye, Criticize, Clear

  Rumi (2015). “Selected Poems”, p.101, Penguin UK

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