Top 25 Quotes by Samuel Johnson of 1744 - Page 8

Every old man complains of the growing depravity of the world, of the petulance and insolence of the rising generation.

Every old man complains of the growing depravity of the world, of the petulance and insolence of the rising generation.

Men, Age, Complaining

Samuel Johnson (1820). “The Rambler”, p.266

The great effect of friendship is beneficence, yet by the first act of uncommon kindness it is endangered.

Kindness, Lost Friendship, Firsts

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1837). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius /c by Arthur Murphy, Esq”, p.108

Riches exclude only one inconvenience,--that is, poverty.

Samuel Johnson

Riches, Poverty, Inconvenience

I am a hardened and shameless tea drinker, who has, for twenty years, diluted his meals with only the infusion of this fascinating plant; whose kettle has scarcely time to cool; who with tea amuses the evening, with tea solaces the midnight, and, with tea, welcomes the morning.

Samuel Johnson

Morning, Food, Tea Drinking

Review in the 'Literary Magazine' vol. 2, no. 13 (1757)

Reason will by degrees submit to absurdity, as the eye is in time accommodated to darkness.

Samuel Johnson

Eye, Darkness, Degrees

No man is a hypocrite in his pleasures.

Samuel Johnson

Hypocrite, Men, Hypocrisy

In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 4, p. 316 (June 1784).

Slavery is now nowhere more patiently endured, than in countries once inhabited by the zealots of liberty.

Samuel Johnson

Country, Liberty, Slavery

Samuel Johnson (1804). “The beauties of Samuel Johnson: maxims and observations. To which are now added, biographical anecdotes of the doctor, his life [&c.].”, p.286

There is a frightful interval between the seed and the timber.

Samuel Johnson

Progress, Timber, Seeds

Such seems to be the disposition of man, that whatever makes a distinction produces rivalry.

Samuel Johnson

Men, Rivalry, Disposition

Samuel Johnson (2010). “Journey to the Hebrides: A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland & The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”, p.38, Canongate Books

It is a maxim that no man was ever enslaved by influence while he was fit to be free.

Samuel Johnson

Men, Influence, Fit

Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Motivational, Achievement

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1825). “The Works of Samuel Johnson: The Adventurer and Idler”, p.108

Your aspirations are your possibilities.

Samuel Johnson

Friendship, Dream, Attitude

The number of such as live without the ardour of inquiry is very small, though many content themselves with cheap amusements, and waste their lives in researches of no importance.

Samuel Johnson

Knowledge, Numbers, Inquiry

Samuel Johnson, William P. Page (1840). “The Life and Writings of Samuel Johnson...”, p.40

Pity is not natural to man. Children always are cruel. Savages are always cruel.

Samuel Johnson

Children, Men, Savages

Getting money is not all a man's business: to cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Money, Kindness

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.178

A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his table, than when his wife talks Greek.

Samuel Johnson

Food, Men, Wife

Samuel Johnson (1787). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: Together with His Life, and Notes on His Lives of the Poets, by Sir John Hawkins, Knt. In Eleven Volumes ...”, p.205

Few things are impossible to diligence and skill.

Samuel Johnson

Perseverance, Determination, Persistence

Alexander Pope, William Lisle Bowles, Samuel Johnson, Alexander Chalmers, Gilbert Wakefield (1806). “The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq. in Verse and Prose: Containing the Principal Notes of Drs. Warburton and Warton: Illustrations, and Critical and Explanatory Remarks, by Johnson, Wakefield, A. Chalmers ... and Others; to which are Added, Now First Published, Some Original Letters, with Additional Observations, and Memoirs of the Life of the Author”, p.342

The joy of life is variety; the tenderest love requires to be rekindled by intervals of absence.

Samuel Johnson

Diversity, Joy, Life Is

Samuel Johnson (1787). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: Together with His Life, and Notes on His Lives of the Poets, by Sir John Hawkins, Knt. In Eleven Volumes ...”, p.156

The law is the last result of human wisdom acting upon human experience for the benefit of the public.

Samuel Johnson

Wisdom, Law, Acting

Quoted in Heather Lynch Piozzi, Anecdotes of ...Johnson (1786)

He that embarks on the voyage of life will always wish to advance rather by the impulse of the wind than the strokes of the oar; and many fold in their passage; while they lie waiting for the gale.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Lying, Wind

There is no book so poor that it would not be a prodigy if wholly made by a single man.

Samuel Johnson

Book, Men, Poor

Excellence in any department can be attained only by the labor of a lifetime; it is not to be purchased at a lesser price.

Samuel Johnson

Encouragement, Hard Work, Excellence

Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniences they may for a time promise or produce, are, in the sum of life, obstacles to happiness. Those who profit by the cheat distrust the deceiver; and the act by which kindness was sought puts an end to confidence.

Samuel Johnson

Kindness, Promise, Deceit

Samuel Johnson, Hester Lynch Piozzi, James Boswell (1804). “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 works of Mrs. Piozzi;--his Life, recently published by Mr. Boswell, and other authentic testimonies; also his will, and the sermon he wrote for the late Doctor Dodd”, p.177

Hope itself is a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords; but, like all other pleasures immoderately enjoyed, the excesses of hope must be expiated by pain.

Samuel Johnson

Hope, Pain, Excess

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.426

Prosperity's right hand is industry and her left hand is frugality.

Samuel Johnson

Hands, Left Hand, Prosperity

Samuel Johnson Quotes - Page 8

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