WIST Quotations

Steele, Richard -- Essay (1710-08-07), The Tatler, No. 208

Dave — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:44:24 +0000

Praise from an enemy is the most pleasing of all commendations.

Richard Steele (1672-1729) Anglo-Irish writer, journalist, playwright, politician
Essay (1710-08-07), The Tatler, No. 208
(Source)

Hoffer, Eric -- Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 131 (1955)

Dave — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:34:21 +0000

The readiness to praise others indicates a desire for excellence and perhaps an ability to realize it.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 131 (1955)
(Source)

La Rochefoucauld, Francois -- Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶149 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]

Dave — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 23:04:58 +0000

We refuse praise from a desire to be praised twice.

[Le refus des louanges est un désir d’être loué deux fois.]

François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble
Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶149 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]
(Source)

Present since the 1st edition. Brund/Friswell note a variant 1665 version which they translate: "The modesty which pretends to refuse praise is but in truth a desire to be praised more highly."

See also ¶327, and Chesterfield (1750).

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

That Modesty which stands so much upon the refusal of [praises], is indeed but a desire of having such as are more delicate.
[tr. Davies (1669), ¶151]

He that refuses Praises the first time it is offered, does it, because he would hear it a second.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶150]

A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶368; ed. Lepoittevin-Lacroix (1797), ¶143]

Resistance to praise is a desire to be praised twice.
[ed. Carvill (1835), ¶325]

A refusal of praise; is a desire to be praised twice.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶152]

The refusal of praise is only the wish to be praised twice.
[tr. Bund/Friswell (1871), ¶149]

We decline commendation that we may be twice commended.
[tr. Heard (1917), ¶149]

To disclaim admiration is to desire it in double measure.
[tr. Stevens (1939), ¶149]

The refusal to accept praise is the desire to be praised twice over.
[tr. FitzGibbon (1957), ¶149]

To refuse to accept praise is to want to be praised twice over.
[tr. Tancock (1959), ¶149]

The refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice over.
[tr. Siniscalchi (c. 1994)]

The refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
[tr. Whichello (2016) ¶149]

Bierce, Ambrose -- “Commendation,” The Cynic’s Word Book (1906)

Dave — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 22:23:59 +0000

COMMENDATION, n. The tribute that we pay to achievements that resemble, but do not equal, our own.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Commendation,” The Cynic’s Word Book (1906)
(Source)

Included in The Devil's Dictionary (1911). Originally published in the "Devil's Dictionary" column in the San Francisco Wasp (1881-08-05).

La Rochefoucauld, Francois -- Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶148 (1665-1678) [tr. Bund/Friswell (1871)]

Dave — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 12:32:14 +0000

Some reproaches praise; some praises reproach.

[Il y a des reproches qui louent, et des louanges qui médisent.]

There are some who commend when they make account to reproach; and others whose praises are detractions.
[tr. Davies (1669), ¶166]

Some Censures are a Commendation, and some Commendations are no better than Scandal.
[tr. Stanhope (1694), ¶149]

There are reproaches that praise, and praises that reproach.
[pub. Donaldson (1783), ¶369; ed. Lepoittevin-Lacroix (1797), ¶142]

There are reproaches which give praise, and there are praises which reproach.
[ed. Carvill (1835), ¶323]

There are reproaches which praise, and praises which convey satire.
[ed. Gowens (1851), ¶151]

Censure often praises, and praise as frequently censures.
[tr. Heard (1917), ¶148]

Some reproaches are compliments, and some compliments slanders.
[tr. Stevens (1939), ¶148]

Hard words can be praise, and praises can be slander.
[tr. FitzGibbon (1957), ¶148]

There are reproaches that compliment, and compliments that disparage.
[tr. Kronenberger (1959), ¶148]

Some strictures can be compliments, and some compliments can be slanderous.
[tr. Tancock (1959), ¶148]

There are reproaches which praise, and praises which slander.
[tr. Whichello (2016) ¶148]