There are charms made only for distant admiration.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
We always love those who admire us; we do not always love those whom we admire.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower.
—Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) Bengali Poet, Polymath
The affections are the children of ignorance; when the horizon of our experience expands, and models multiply, love and admiration imperceptibly vanish.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
A student never forgets an encouraging private word, when it is given with sincere respect and admiration.
—William Lyon Phelps (1865–1943) American Author, Critic, Scholar
One’s shadow grows larger than life when admired by the light of the moon.
—Chinese Proverb
There is an innocence in admiration; it is found in those to whom it has never yet occurred that they, too, might be admired some day.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
We all admire the wisdom of people who come to us for advice.
—Arthur Helps (1813–75) English Dramatist, Essayist
Admiration for a quality or an art can be so strong that it deters us from striving to possess it.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
I have always been an admirer. I regard the gift of admiration as indispensable if one is to amount to something; I don’t know where I would be without it.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
Bad artists always admire each other’s work. They call it being large-minded and free from prejudice. But a truly great artist cannot conceive of life being shown, or beauty fashioned, under any conditions other than those he has selected.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
A beautiful face is admired even when its owner doesn’t say anything.
—Danish Proverb
Admiration must be kept up by the novelty that at first produced it; and how much soever is given, there must always be the impression that more remains.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Every fool finds a greater one to admire them.
—Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux (1636–1711) French Poet, Satirist, Literary Critic
Our admiration of the antique is not admiration of the old, but of the natural.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
We always like those who admire us, but we do not always like those whom we admire.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Ignorance is the mother of admiration.
—George Chapman (c.1560–1634) English Poet, Playwright
The quality of wit inspires more admiration than confidence
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Fools admire, but men of sense approve.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Admiration is the daughter of ignorance.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
What the eye does not admire the heart does not desire.
—Common Proverb
Admiration begins where acquaintance ceases
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The youth, intoxicated with his admiration of a hero, fails to see, that it is only a projection of his own soul, which he admires
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
To cultivate sympathy you must be among living beings and thinking about them; to cultivate admiration, among beautiful things and looking at them.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead, get married.
—Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) American Actor, TV Personality
Everyone admires his own character.
—Turkish Proverb
Human affairs inspire in noble hearts only two feelings—admiration or pity.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring. And that is not happiness.
—F. H. Bradley (1846–1924 ) British Idealist Philosopher
While on a ladder, never step back to admire your work.
—Unknown
There is a wide difference between admiration and love. The sublime, which is the cause of the former, always dwells on great objects and terrible; the latter on small ones and pleasing; we submit to what we admire, but we love what submits to us: in one case we are forced, in the other we are flattered, into compliance.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
A fool admires himself most when he has done foolish things.
—Chinese Proverb
Few men are admired by their servants.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Admiration is a very short-lived passion that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object, unless it be still fed with fresh discoveries, and kept alive by a new perpetual succession of miracles rising up to its view.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Animals do not admire each other. A horse does not admire its companion.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
The poet never asks for admiration; he wants to be believed.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Playwright, Film Director
Admiration is our polite recognition of another’s resemblance to ourselves.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Distance is a great promoter of admiration!.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
A man likes his wife to be just clever enough to appreciate his cleverness, and just stupid enough to admire it.
—Israel Zangwill (1864–1926) English Playwright, Novelist, Zionist Activist
To cease to admire is a proof of deterioration.
—Charles Cooley (1864–1929) American Sociologist
You always admire what you really don’t understand.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
It is better in some respects to be admired by those with whom you live,, than to be loved by them. And this is not on account of any gratification of vanity, but because admiration is so much more tolerant than love.
—Arthur Helps (1813–75) English Dramatist, Essayist
We admire what we do not understand.
—Indian Proverb
Better beloved than admired.
—French Proverb
Those who are formed to win general admiration are seldom calculated to bestow individual happiness.
—Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789–1849) Irish Novelist, Writer
Each day you can admire the moon, the snow and the flowers.
—Japanese Proverb
It is a good thing to believe; it is a good thing to admire. By continually looking upwards, our minds will themselves grow upwards; as a man, by indulging in habits of scorn and contempt for others, is sure to descend to the level of those he despises.
—Arthur Helps (1813–75) English Dramatist, Essayist
No nobler feeling than this of admiration for one higher than himself dwells in the breast of man. It is to this hour, and at all hours, the vivifying influence in man’s life.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
There is a pleasure in admiration; and this it is which properly causeth admiration, when we discover a great deal in an object which we understand to be excellent; and yet we see more beyond that, which our understandings cannot fully reach and comprehend.
—John Tillotson