Pretend to be frank, acting as if you speak and act based solely on your own judgment and for the public good, hating nothing more than flattery.

Excuse someone’s gentleness and mercy as a duty of piety, to weaken their strictness and severity.

Avoid praising someone in a way that openly criticizes others, except perhaps in a crowd with many confused voices.

Leave people’s virtues unpraised and overlook their vices.