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Whenever you commend, add your reasons for doing so it is this which distinguishes the approbation of a man of sense from the flattery of sycophants and admiration of fools.

Richard Steele

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Richard Steele
Age: 57 †
Born: 1672
Born: March 12
Died: 1729
Died: September 1
Journalist
Playwright
Politician
Writer
Dublin city
Sir Richard Steele
Men
Fools
Admiration
Add
Whenever
Sycophants
Reasons
Approbation
Fool
Commend
Sense
Distinguishes
Reason
Flattery

More quotes by Richard Steele

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I cannot think of any character below the flatterer, except he who envies him
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I know of no manner of speaking so offensive as that of giving praise, and closing it with an exception.
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It is a wonderful thing that so many, and they not reckoned absurd, shall entertain those with whom they converse by giving them the history of their pains and aches and imagine such narrations their quota of conversation.
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It is the duty of a great person so to demean himself, as that whatever endowments he may have, he may appear to value himself upon no qualities but such as any man may arrive at.
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Simplicity of all things is the hardest to be copy.
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The praise of an ignorant man is only good-will, and you should receive his kindness as he is a good neighbor in society, and not as a good judge of your actions in point of fame and reputation.
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The insupportable labor of doing nothing.
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A favor well bestowed is almost as great an honor to him who confers it as to him who receives it.
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Since our persons are not of our own making, when they are such as appear defective or uncomely, it is, methinks, an honest and laudable fortitude to dare to be ugly.
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Modesty never rages, never murmurs, never pouts when it is ill-treated, it pines, it beseeches, it languishes.
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Though her mien carries much more invitation than command, to behold her is an immediate check to loose behaviour to love her was a liberal education.
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Zeal for the public good is the characteristic of a man of honor and a gentleman, and must take the place of pleasures, profits and all other private gratifications.
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Pride destroys all symmetry and grace, and affectation is a more terrible enemy to fine faces than the small-pox.
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I look upon it as a Point of Morality, to be obliged by those who endeavour to oblige me
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The world is grown so full of dissimulation and compliment, that men's words are hardly any signification of their thoughts.
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Violins are the lively, forward, importunate wits, that distinguish themselves by the flourishes of imagination, sharpness of repartee, glances of satire, and bear away the upper part in every consort.
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When a man is not disposed to hear music, there is not a more disagreeable sound in harmony than that of the violin.
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It may be remarked in general, that the laugh of men of wit is for the most part but a feint, constrained kind of half-laugh, as such persons are never without some diffidence about them but that of fools is the most honest, natural, open laugh in the world.
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Though very troublesome to others, anger is most so to him that has it.
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No woman is capable of being beautiful who is not incapable of being false.
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