"By God, I cannot flatter: I do defy The tongues of soothers; but a braver place In my hearts love, hath no man than yourself; Nay, task me to my word; approve me, lord."
Flattery, also called adulation or blandishment, is the act of giving excessive compliments, generally for the purpose of ingratiating oneself with the subject. It is also used in pick-up lines when attempting to initiate romantic courtship.
"She began to think too, that Sir Mulberry was not quite so agreeable a creature as she had at first supposed him; for, although a skilful flatterer is a most delightful companion if you can keep him all to yourself, his taste becomes very doubtful when he takes to complimenting other people."
"O, that mens ears should be To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!"
"Of praise a mere glutton, he swallowd what came, And the puff of a dunce, he mistook it for fame; Till his relish grown callous, almost to displease, Who pepperd the highest was surest to please."
". No quality will get a man more friends than a disposition to admire the qualities of others. I do not mean flattery, but a sincere admiration. . Nay, Sir, flattery pleases very generally. In the first place, the flatterer may think what he says to be true: but, in the second place, whether he thinks so or not, he certainly thinks those whom he flatters of consequence enough to be flattered."
"How was Moses able to withstand Pharaoh when he had nothing but holiness to give him courage? ... A solitary prophet once censured a king for his unlawful acts, when the king had his whole army with him. ... These holy men achieved such things because they had resolved to live for the soul alone, turning away from the body and its wants. The fact of needing nothing made them superior to all men. They chose to forsake the body and to free themselves from life in the flesh, rather than to betray the cause of holiness and, because of their bodily needs, to flatter the wealthy. ...But, as for us, when we lack something, instead of struggling courageously against our difficulties, we come fawning to the rich, like puppies wagging their tails in the hope of being tossed a bare bone or some crumbs. To get what we want, we call them benefactors and protectors of Christians, attributing every virtue to them, even though they may be utterly wicked.We should not flatter, because of our needs, those who value highly the very things it is our vocation to despise."
"Es ist dem Menschen leichter und geläufiger, zu schmeicheln als zu loben."