By God, I cannot flatter, I do defy
The tongues of soothers! but a braver place
In read more

By God, I cannot flatter, I do defy
The tongues of soothers! but a braver place
In my heart's love hath no man than yourself.
Nay, task me to my word; approve me, lord.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is
very wickedness; their throat is an open read more

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is
very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter
with their tongue.

The skilful class of flatterers praise the discourse of an
ignorant friend and the face of a deformed one.
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The skilful class of flatterers praise the discourse of an
ignorant friend and the face of a deformed one.
[Lat., Adulandi gens prudentissima laudat
Sermonem indocti, faciem deformis amici.]

To be a man's own fool is bad enough; but the vain man is everybody's.

To be a man's own fool is bad enough; but the vain man is everybody's.

Knavery and flattery are blood relations.

Knavery and flattery are blood relations.

Flattery is all right so long as you don't inhale.

Flattery is all right so long as you don't inhale.

Let us be thankful for the fools; but for them the rest of us could not succeed.

Let us be thankful for the fools; but for them the rest of us could not succeed.

Flattery is the worst and falsest way of showing our esteem

Flattery is the worst and falsest way of showing our esteem

It is easy to flatter; it is harder to praise.

It is easy to flatter; it is harder to praise.