Henry David Thoreau Quotes About Compliments

• The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer.

  Henry David Thoreau

  Funny, Humor, Effective Listening

  Henry David Thoreau, Nancy L. Rosenblum (1996). “Thoreau: Political Writings”, p.103, Cambridge University Press

• A Friend is one who incessantly pays us the compliment of expecting from us all the virtues, and who can appreciate them in us.

  Henry David Thoreau

  Appreciate, Pay, Compliment

  Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.190, Xist Publishing

• 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.

  Henry David Thoreau

  Facts, Assuming, Assumption

  Henry David Thoreau (1929). “Early spring in Massachusetts and Summer”

• I often accuse my finest acquaintances of an immense frivolity; for, while there are manners and compliments we do not meet, we donot teach one another the lessons of honesty and sincerity that the brutes do, or of steadiness and solidity that the rocks do. The fault is commonly mutual; however, for we do not habitually demand any more of each other.

  Henry David Thoreau

  Friendship, Honesty, Character

• In our daily intercourse with men, our nobler faculties are dormant and suffered to rust. None will pay us the compliment to expect nobleness from us. Though we have gold to give, they demand only copper.

  Henry David Thoreau

  Character, Men, Giving

  Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.111, Penguin

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