“…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.”

“Whoever does wrong, wrongs himself; whoever does injustice, does it to himself, making himself evil.”

“How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbour says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.”

“Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.”