Commendation Quotes

• Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.

  Francis Bacon

  Retirement, Wine, Old Friends

  Francis Bacon, William Rawley (1859). “The Works of Francis Bacon: Literary and professional works”, p.139

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• Nothing influences people more than are commendation from a trusted friend.

  Mark Zuckerberg

  People, Design, Marketing

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• It is better to be well deserving without praise than to live by the air of undeserved commendation.

  Roger Chamberlain

  Air, Praise, Live By

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• Fortunate is the person who has developed the self-control to steer a straight course towards his objectives in life, without being swayed from his purpose by either commendation or condemnation.

  Napoleon Hill

  Life, Success, Self

  Dr. Robert C. Worstell, Dorothea Brande, Eark Nightingale, Claude M. Bristol, Napoleon Hill (2017). “Mindset StackingTM Inspirational Journal VolumeSS02”, p.112, Lulu.com

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• Commendation heals; condemnation destroys.

  Carl Jung

  Condemnation, Heal

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• Speak not in high commendation of any man to his face, nor censure any man behind his back; but if thou knowest anything good of him, tell it unto others; if anything ill, tell it privately and prudently to himself.

  William Burkitt

  Men, Faces, Speak

  William Burkitt (1840). “The poor man's help, and young man's guide”, p.13

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• Seek the counsel of men who will tell you the truth about yourself, even if it hurts you to hear it. Mere commendation will not bring the improvement you need.

  Napoleon Hill

  Hurt, Men, Needs

  Napoleon Hill (2008). “The Law of Success: The Master Wealth-Builder's Complete and Original Lesson Plan forAchieving Your Dreams”, p.59, Penguin

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• The censure of those who are opposed to us, is the highest commendation that can be given us.

  Charles de Saint-Evremond

  Censorship, Given, Censure

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• We should not be so taken up in the search for truth, as to neglect the needful duties of active life; for it is only action that gives a true value and commendation to virtue.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  Life, Truth, Taken

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• A continual feast of commendation is only to be obtained by merit or by wealth: many are therefore obliged to content themselves with single morsels, and recompense the infrequency of their enjoyment by excess and riot, whenever fortune sets the banquet before them.

  Samuel Johnson

  Excess, Merit, Wealth

  Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”, p.329

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• I am sure," cried Catherine, "I did not mean to say anything wrong; but it is a nice book, and why should not I call it so?" "Very true," said Henry, "and this is a very nice day, and we are taking a very nice walk, and you are two very nice young ladies. Oh! It is a very nice word indeed! It does for everything. Originally perhaps it was applied only to express neatness, propriety, delicacy, or refinement—people were nice in their dress, in their sentiments, or their choice. But now every commendation on every subject is comprised in that one word.

  Jane Austen

  Nice, Book, Mean

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• Our actions seem to have their lucky and unlucky stars, to which a great part of that blame and that commendation is due which is given to the actions themselves.

  Francois de La Rochefoucauld

  Stars, Lucky, Our Actions

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• It is no flattery to give a friend a due character; for commendation is as much the duty of a friend as reprehension.

  Plutarch

  Character, Giving, Flattery

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• By now, it is probably very late at night, and you have stayed up to read this book when you should have gone to sleep. If this is the case, then I commend you for falling into my trap. It is a writer's greatest pleasure to hear that someone was kept up until the unholy hours of the morning reading one of his books. It goes back to authors being terrible people who delight in the suffering of others. Plus, we get a kickback from the caffeine industry.

  Brandon Sanderson

  Morning, Book, Fall

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

  Ambrose Bierce

  Achievement, Pay, Equal

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.38, University of Georgia Press

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• Be not too great a niggard in the commendations of him that professes thy own quality: if he deserve thy praise, thou hast discovered thy judgment; if not, thy modesty: honor either returns or reflects to the giver.

  Francis Quarles

  Honor, Quality, Return

  Francis Quarles (1880). “The Complete Works in Prose and Verse of Francis Quarles”

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• Spintharus, speaking in commendation of Epaminondas, says he scarce ever met with any man who knew more and spoke less.

  Plutarch

  Men, Spokes, Mets

  Plutarch (1909). “Plutarch's Complete Works”

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• It [angling] deserves commendations;... it is an art worthy the knowledge and practice of a wise man.

  Izaak Walton

  Wise, Art, Men

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• Now, my father Matthias was not only eminent on account of is nobility, but had a higher commendation on account of his righteousness, and was in great reputation in Jerusalem, the greatest city we have.

  Josephus

  Father, Cities, Jerusalem

  Flavius Josephus (1825). “The Works of Josephus--: Containing Twenty Books of the Jewish Antiquities, Seven Books of the Jewish War, and the Life of Josephus”, p.128

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• But as the priceless treasure too frequently hides at the bottom of well, it needs some courage to dive for it, especially as he that does so will be likely to incur more scorn and obloquy for the mud and water into which he has ventured to plunge, than thanks for the jewel he procures; as like in manner, she who undertakes the cleansing of a careless bachelor's apartment will be liable to more abuse for the dust she raises than commendation for the clearance she effects.

  Anne Bronte

  Dust, Jewels, Water

  Anne Bronte, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte (2014). “The Complete Novels Of The Bronte Sisters: Seven-Book Bundle”, p.243, Harper Collins

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

  Richard Steele

  Enemy, Praise

  Richard Steele (1710). “The Tatler Or Lucubrations of Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq”, p.74

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• It is always esteemed the greatest mischief a man can do to those whom he loves, to raise men's expectations of them too high by undue and impertinent commendations.

  Thomas Sprat

  Men, Expectations, Praise

  Thomas Sprat (1667). “The History of the Royal Society of London, for the Improving of Natural Knowledge”, p.46

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• The commendation of adversaries is the greatest triumph of a writer, because it never comes unless extorted.

  John Dryden

  Triumph, Praise, Adversaries

  John Dryden, Joseph Warton, John Warton (1811). “The Poetical Works of John Dryden: Containing Original Poems, Tales, and Translations”, p.204

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• The invention of the arts, and other things which serve the common use and convenience of life, is a gift of God by no means to be despised, and a faculty worthy of commendation.

  John Calvin

  Art, Mean, Use

  John Calvin (2012). “John Calvin's Commentaries On Genesis 1-23 (Annotated Edition)”, p.177, Jazzybee Verlag

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• With me poetry has been not a purpose, but a passion; and the passions should be held in reverence: they must not they cannot at will be excited, with an eye to the paltry compensations, or the more paltry commendations, of mankind.

  Edgar Allan Poe

  Passion, Eye, Purpose

  Edgar Allan Poe (2015). “Edgar Allan Poe: Poetry and Tales”, p.18, Library of America

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