Quotes
Quotes about Praise
We give to necessity the praise of virtue.
Xenophon says that there is no sound more pleasing than one's own praises.
Whatever is in any way beautiful hath its source of beauty in itself, and is complete in itself; praise forms no part of it. So it is none the worse nor the better for being praised.
Doth perfect beauty stand in need of praise at all? Nay; no more than law, no more than truth, no more than loving kindness, nor than modesty.
How many, once lauded in song, are given over to the forgotten; and how many who sung their praises are clean gone long ago!
When he was praised by some wicked men, he said, "I am sadly afraid that I must have done some wicked thing."
Diogenes would frequently praise those who were about to marry, and yet did not marry.
The wretched souls of those who lived
Without or praise or blame.
Usually we praise only to be praised.
Give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
There are always intellectuals around who praise the incompetent as profound
Classic. A book which people praise and don't read.
The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.
Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise.
My loneliness was born when men praised my talkative faults and blamed my silent virtues.
Do not praise yourself
Do not praise yourself
Don't discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose; if you belittle yourself, you are believed; if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved.
The great rulers - the people do not notice their existence. The lesser ones they attach to and praise them. The still lesser ones - they fear them. The still lesser ones - they despise them. For where faith is lacking it cannot be met by faith.
Praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value to its scarcity.
Be thou the first true merit to befriend, his praise is lost who stays till all commend.
Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults.
Everyone in our culture wants to win a prize. Perhaps that is the grand lesson we have taken with us from kindergarten in the age of perversions of Dewey-style education: everyone gets a ribbon, and praise becomes a meaningless narcotic to soothe egoistic distemper.
The Fox and the Goat A fox one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape. A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the Fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise, the Fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to descend. The Goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape. If, said he, you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards. The Goat readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying himself with the Goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat upbraided him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape. Look before you leap.
