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Samuel Johnson Quotes - Page 28

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Is not a patron one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help?

Is not a patron one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help?

Struggle, Men, Water

Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) (letter to Lord Chesterfield, 7 Feb. 1755)

Mutual cowardice keeps us in peace.

Peace, Cowardice, Mutual

In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 3, p. 326 (28 April 1778)

About things on which the public thinks long it commonly attains to think right.

Thinking, Long, Public Opinion

'The Lives of the English Poets' (1779-81) 'Addison'

People in distress never think that you feel enough.

Thinking, People, Pity

Dr. Samuel Johnson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Samuel Johnson (Illustrated)”, p.7170, Delphi Classics

We may have uneasy feelings for seeing a creature in distress without pity; for we have not pity unless we wish to relieve them.

Feelings, Wish, May

A blade of grass is always a blade of grass, whether in one country or another.

Country, Blades, Grass

Samuel Johnson, Hester Lynch Piozzi, James Boswell (1787). “The Beauties of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: Consisting of Maxims and Observations, Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous, to which are Now Added, Biographical Anecdotes of the Doctor, Selected from the Late Productions of Mrs. Piozzi, Mr. Boswell, ...”, p.22

Read the book you do honestly feel a wish and curiosity to read.

Book, Reading, Curiosity

Though the wisdom or virtue of one can very rarely make many happy, the folly or vice of one man often make many miserable.

Responsibility, Men, Vices

Samuel Johnson (1856). “Rasselas”, p.48

Nothing is little to him that feels it with great sensibility.

Littles, Feels, Sensibility

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1799). “Life of Johnson: Including Boswell's Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides and Johnson's Diary of a Journey Into North Wales”, p.429

Life is surely given us for higher purposes than to gather what our ancestors have wisely thrown away, and to learn what is of no value but because it has been forgotten.

Purpose, Life Is, Forgotten

Samuel Johnson (1977). “Selected Poetry and Prose”, p.201, Univ of California Press

A Scotchman must be a very sturdy moralist who does not love Scotland better than truth.

Scotland, Doe, Sturdy

'A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland' (1775) 'Ostig in Sky'

All censure of a man's self is oblique praise. It is in order to show how much he can spare.

Men, Self, Order

Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) (entry for 25 Apr. 1778)

No estimate is more in danger of erroneous calculations than those by which a man computes the force of his own genius.

Men, Genius, Danger

Samuel Johnson (1824). “Works: With an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.83

Whoever rises above those who once pleased themselves with equality, will have many malevolent gazers at his eminence.

Rise Above, Eminence, Superiority

Samuel Johnson (1761). “The Rambler: In Four Volumes”, p.62

Levellers wish to level down as far as themselves; but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves.

Wish, Levels, Bears

Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) (entry for 21 July 1763)

In civilized society we all depend upon each other, and our happiness is very much owing to the good opinion of mankind.

Society, Owing, Opinion

Samuel Johnson, James Boswell (1825). “The Table Talk of Dr. Johnson: Comprising Opinions and Anecdotes of Life and Literature, Men, Manners, and Morals”, p.119

Silence propagates itself, and the longer talk has been suspended, the more difficult it is to find anything to say.

Silence, Difficult, Has Beens

Samuel Johnson (1997). “The Sayings of Doctor Johnson”, p.10, Gerald Duckworth & Co

You cannot, by all the lecturing in the world, enable a man to make a shoe.

Teaching, Men, Shoes

There is a certain degree of temptation which will overcome any virtue. Now, in so far as you approach temptation to a man, you do him an injury; and, if he is overcome, you share his guilt.

Men, Temptation, Guilt

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson, Edmond Malone (1824). “The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D., comprehending an account of his studies, and numerous works, in chronological order: a series of his epistolary correspondence and conversations with many eminent persons; and various original pieces of his composition, never before published; the whole exhibiting a view of literature and literary men in Great Britain, for near half a century during which he flourished”, p.229

Trust as little as you can to report, and examine all you can by your own senses.

Trust, Littles, Senses

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1799). “Boswell's Life of Johnson: Including Boswell's Journal of a Tour of the Hebrides, and Johnson's Diary of A Journey Into North Wales”, p.425

Every man prefers virtue, when there is not some strong incitement to transgress its precepts.

Strong, Men, Virtue

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson, Edmond Malone (1824). “The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D., comprehending an account of his studies, and numerous works, in chronological order: a series of his epistolary correspondence and conversations with many eminent persons; and various original pieces of his composition, never before published; the whole exhibiting a view of literature and literary men in Great Britain, for near half a century during which he flourished”, p.389

This world, where much is to be done and little to be known.

Done, World, Littles

'Prayers and Meditations' (1785) no. 170 'Against inquisitive and perplexing Thoughts' 12 August 1784

By writing, you learn to write.

Writing

Most vices may be committed very genteelly: a man may debauch his friend's wife genteelly: he may cheat at cards genteelly

Men, Wife, Vices

Samuel Johnson (1798). “Dr. Johnson's Table Talk: Containing Aphorisms on Literature, Life, and Manners; with Anecdotes of Distinguished Persons, Selected and Arranged from Dr. Boswell's Life of Johnson”, p.390

To see helpless infancy stretching out her hands, and pouring out her cries in testimony of dependence, without any powers to alarm jealousy, or any guilt to alienate affection, must surely awaken tenderness in every human mind; and tenderness once excited will be hourly increased by the natural contagion of felicity, by the repercussion of communicated pleasure, by the consciousness of dignity of benefaction.

Hands, Mind, Guilt

Samuel Johnson (1810). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With An Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.47

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