“…praise does not make anything better or worse.”
“Anything in any way beautiful derives its beauty from itself and asks nothing beyond itself. Praise is no part of it, for nothing is made worse or better by praise.”
“Neither worse then or better is a thing made by being praised.”
“Whatever is in any way beautiful hath its source of beauty in itself, and is complete in itself; praise forms no part of it. So it is none the worse nor the better for being praised.”
“That makes it worse! Worse and better!”
“If the Divine call does not make us better, it will make us very much worse. Of all bad men religious bad men are the worst.”