--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If any man flatters me, I'll flatter him…" description: "\"If any man flatters me, I'll flatter him again; tho' he were my best Friend.\" — Benjamin Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/benjamin-franklin-65_best-friend_if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him_801294.png" --- # If any man flatters me, I'll flatter him again; tho' he… ![“If any man flatters me, I'll flatter him again; tho' he were my best Friend.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/benjamin-franklin-65_best-friend_if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him_801294.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/benjamin-franklin-65_best-friend_if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him_801294.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/benjamin-franklin-65_best-friend_if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him_801294.png) > “If any man flatters me, I'll flatter him again; tho' he were my best Friend.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker offers reciprocal flattery, suggesting that mutual praise strengthens friendship even among rivals. **In simple terms:** Flatter to strengthen bonds. Key Takeaway Use sincere compliments to build trust. Themes friendship reciprocity social etiquette Mood friendly strategic Type historical advice When to use this quote - networking - team building - conflict mediation - leadership Key Concepts psychology communication Questions to Reflect On - How can genuine praise be distinguished? - When is reciprocal flattery appropriate? A Different Perspective Flattery can seem insincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [My best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-best-friend/) ## Related quotes > [A flatterer never seems absurd: The flatter'd always takes his word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-flatterer-never-seems-absurd-the-flatter-d-always-takes-his-word/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticise me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/flatter-me-and-i-may-not-believe-you-criticise-me-and-i-may-not-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I will show partiality to no one, nor will I flatter any man; for if I were skilled in flattery, my Maker would soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith-pegues/i-will-show-partiality-to-no-one-nor-will-i-flatter-any-man-for-if-i/) [Deborah Smith Pegues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith-pegues/) > [Nay, do not think I flatter. For what advancement may I hope from thee, That no revenue hast but thy good spirits To feed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nay-do-not-think-i-flatter-for-what-advancement-may-i-hope-from-thee/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Don't flatter yourself, I was looking at your friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-flatter-yourself-i-was-looking-at-your-friend/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To flatter a young man, tell him that you thought that he was older than he is. To flatter an old woman, tell her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/to-flatter-a-young-man-tell-him-that-you-thought-that-he-was-older/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [People flatter us because they can depend upon our credulity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/people-flatter-us-because-they-can-depend-upon-our-credulity/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Mankind naturally and generally love to be flatter'd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/mankind-naturally-and-generally-love-to-be-flatter-d/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Blame-all and Praise-all are two blockheads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/blame-all-and-praise-all-are-two-blockheads/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor but the highest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/sarcasm-is-the-lowest-form-of-humor-but-the-highest-form-of-flattery/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The same man cannot be both Friend and Flatterer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-same-man-cannot-be-both-friend-and-flatterer/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [To me, there are four F's in a good tax system: it ought to be flatter, fairer, finite and family-friendly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/to-me-there-are-four-f-s-in-a-good-tax-system-it-ought-to-be-flatter/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [I don't care how stylish something is if it doesn't flatter me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-larter/i-don-t-care-how-stylish-something-is-if-it-doesn-t-flatter-me/) [Ali Larter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-larter/) > [Dont flatter yourself, honey. The only fan you have is on the ceiling!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-flatter-yourself-honey-the-only-fan-you-have-is-on-the-ceiling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think we can have some tax reform, but that doesn't mean tax increases. We ought to make the, the rates flatter. We ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-think-we-can-have-some-tax-reform-but-that-doesn-t-mean-tax/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Best friend quotes > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) Shelly Yang > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) Aviation > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Sometimes the right people can make your day. They're called best friends :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-the-right-people-can-make-your-day-they-re-called-best/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Here is your third gift from Me once again..I had a fourth gift it was about me making a video telling you how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilbear/here-is-your-third-gift-from-me-once-again-i-had-a-fourth-gift-it-was/) [LilBear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilbear/) > [Our friendship is like a cup of tea¦a special blend of you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/our-friendship-is-like-a-cup-of-tea-a-special-blend-of-you-and-me/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [When you have the most beautiful best friend in the world what more could I ask for I love you Tay :) you mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick/when-you-have-the-most-beautiful-best-friend-in-the-world-what-more/) [Nick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick/) > [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A Real Man will help build his woman's self esteem not break it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-s-voice/a-real-man-will-help-build-his-woman-s-self-esteem-not-break-it/) Lisa's Voice [Browse all 6,524 Best friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If any man flatters me, I'll flatter him again; tho' he were my best Friend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him-again-tho-he-were-my-best/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him-again-tho-he-were-my-best/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/benjamin-franklin-65_best-friend_if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him_801294.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/benjamin-franklin-65_best-friend_if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him_801294.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/benjamin-franklin-65_best-friend_if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him_801294.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If any man flatters me, I'll flatter him again; tho' he were my best Friend.” — Benjamin Franklin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If any man flatters me, I'll...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him-again-tho-he-were-my-best/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-any-man-flatters-me-i-ll-flatter-him-again-tho-he-were-my-best/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```