Praise, more divine than prayer; prayer points our ready path to heaven; praise is already there.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
You do ill if you praise, but worse if you censure what you do not rightly understand.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Polymath, Painter, Sculptor, Architect
There is no stimulus like that which comes from the consciousness of knowing that others believe in us.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
Every one that has been long dead has a due proportion of praise allotted him, in which, whilst he lived, his friends were too profuse and his enemies too sparing.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
There are two things people want more than sex and money—recognition and praise.
—Mary Kay Ash (1918–2001) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
The praise of ancient authors proceeds not from the reverence of the dead, but from the competition and mutual envy of the living.
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) English Political Philosopher
In doing what we ought we deserve no praise, because it is our duty.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
It is not he that searches for praise that finds it.
—Antoine de Rivarol (1753–1801) French Writer, Epigrammatist
Someone praising a man for his foolhardy bravery, Cato, the elder, said, “There is a wide difference between true courage and a mere contempt of life.”
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
It would be a kind of ferocity to reject indifferently all sorts of praise. One should be glad to have that which comes from good men who praise in sincerity things that are really praiseworthy.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
It embarrasses me to think of all those years I was buying silk suits and alligator shoes that were hurting my feet; cars that I just parked, and the dust would just build up on them.
—George Foreman (1949–2025) American Heavyweight Champion, Minister, Entrepreneur
By recognizing a favorable opinion of yourself, and taking pleasure in it, you in a measure give yourself and your peace of mind into the keeping of another, of whose attitude you can never be certain. You have a new source of doubt and apprehension.
—Charles Cooley (1864–1929) American Sociologist
Getting people to like you is merely the other side of liking them.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
A word of encouragement during failure is worth more than a dictionary of praise after success.
—Unknown
Praise shames me, for I secretly beg for it.
—Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) Bengali Poet, Polymath
It takes so little to make people happy. Just a touch, If we know how to give it, just a word fitly spoken, a slight readjustment of some bolt or pin or bearing in the delicate machinery of a soul.
—Frank Hall Crane (1873–1948) American Stage and Film Actor, Director
I never failed to convince an audience that the best thing they could do was to go away.
—Thomas Love Peacock (1785–1866) English Satirist, Novelist, Author
One good deed, dying tongueless, slaughters a thousand waiting upon that. Our praises are our wages.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.
—U.S. Proverb
Praise undeserved, is satire in disguise.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then we did it. If anything goes real good, then you did it. That’s all it takes to get people to win football games.
—Bear Bryant (1913–83) American College Football Coach
Damn with faint praise.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
To receive applause for works which do not demand all our powers hinders our advance towards a perfecting of our spirit. It usually means that thereafter we stand still.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
It is no flattery to give a friend a due character; for commendation is as much the duty of a friend as reprehension.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
To praise is an investment in happiness.
—George Matthew Adams (1878–1962) American Newspaper Columnist, Founder of Adams Service
A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
How does it happen, Maecenas, that no one is content with that lot of which he has chosen or which chance has thrown his way, but praises those who follow a different course?
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Where there is no difficulty there is no praise.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
There is nothing you can say in answer to a compliment. I have been complimented myself a great many times, and they always embarrass me—I always feel that they have not said enough.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Always when I see a man fond of praise I always think it is because he is an affectionate man craving for affection.
—John Butler Yeats (1839–1922) Irish Painter of Portraits
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