Henry David Thoreau Quotes

“Compliments and flattery oftenest excite my contempt by the pretension they imply for who is he that assumes to flatter me? To compliment often implies an assumption of superiority in the complimenter. It is in fact a subtle detraction.”

“Is is difficult to be angry with a gentleman who pays you compliments, even impertinent compliments. Especially impertinent compliments. ”

“I don’t trust compliments. I’ve been getting them for years. Sometimes I deserve them, sometimes I didn’t. But generally when people give you compliments there’s one of two things wrong with them. Either they’re false, or what’s worse is they’re sincere. They really mean the compliment. And then they’re offering you their loyalty. And I’m kind of a stingy… Well, I don’t necessarily want to give all that loyalty back. So either way, let’s skip the compliments.”

“Compliments are only lies in court clothes.”

“You would compliment a coxcomb doing a good act, but you would not praise an angel.”

“When two people compliment each other with the choice of anything each of them generally gets that which he likes least.”

“With the constant pile of past experiences having a toll, most people get too scared to see beauty in themselves. A very honest compliment and they try inevitably to cook up conspiracy theories. Although there are ulterior motives (to the compliments) most of the time, look past it, accept, and appreciate your magic.”

“Pay it forward with free compliments. They are returned in due time. NetworkEtiquette.net”

“A compliment is something like a kiss through a veil.”

“I was as terrible at giving compliments as I was at receiving them.”