What drink'st thou oft, instead of homage sweet,
But poisoned flattery?

What drink'st thou oft, instead of homage sweet,
But poisoned flattery?

To be a man's own fool is bad enough; but the vain man is everybody's.

To be a man's own fool is bad enough; but the vain man is everybody's.

None are more taken in with flattery than the proud, who wish to be the first and are not.

None are more taken in with flattery than the proud, who wish to be the first and are not.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is
very wickedness; their throat is an open read more

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is
very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter
with their tongue.

Avoid flatterers, for they are thieves in disguise.

Avoid flatterers, for they are thieves in disguise.

Mine eyes
Were not in fault, for she was beautiful;
Mine ears, that heard her flattery; nor read more

Mine eyes
Were not in fault, for she was beautiful;
Mine ears, that heard her flattery; nor my heart,
That thought her like her seeming. It had been vicious
To have mistrusted her.

We sometimes think that we hate flattery, but we only hate the
manner in which it is done.
read more

We sometimes think that we hate flattery, but we only hate the
manner in which it is done.
[Fr., On croit quelquefoir hair la flatterie; maid on ne hait que
a maniere de flatter.]

Flattery is from the teeth out. Sincere appreciation is from the heart out.

Flattery is from the teeth out. Sincere appreciation is from the heart out.

'Tis an old maxim in the schools,
That flattery's the food of fools;
Yet now and then read more

'Tis an old maxim in the schools,
That flattery's the food of fools;
Yet now and then your men of wit
Will condescend to take a bit.