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Samuel Johnson Quotes about Desire

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Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.

Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.

Progress, Desire, Want

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.230

We are all prompted by the same motives, all deceived by the same fallacies, all animated by hope, obstructed by danger, entangled by desire, and seduced by pleasure.

Humanity, Desire, Pleasure

Samuel Johnson (1977). “Selected Poetry and Prose”, p.183, Univ of California Press

We consider ourselves as defective in memory, either because we remember less than we desire, or less than we suppose others to remember.

Memories, Desire, Remember

Samuel Johnson (1825). “The works of Samuel Johnson, with Murphy's essay, ed. by R. Lynam”, p.600

He to whom many objects of pursuit arise at the same time, will frequently hesitate between different desires till a rival has precluded him, or change his course as new attractions prevail, and harass himself without advancing.

Focus, Desire, Different

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1857). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.209

It is unpleasing to represent our affairs to our own disadvantage; yet it is necessary to shew the evils which we desire to be removed.

Evil, Desire, Patriot

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1825). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With Murphy's Essay”, p.358

It is very common for us to desire most what we are least qualified to obtain.

Desire, Common, Qualified

Samuel Johnson (1761). “The Rambler: In Four Volumes”, p.38

Memory is like all other human powers, with which no man can be satisfied who measures them by what he can conceive, or by what he can desire.

Memories, Men, Desire

Samuel Johnson, Peter Martin (2009). “Samuel Johnson: Selected Writings”, p.83, Harvard University Press

It ought to be the first endeavour of a writer to distinguish nature from custom; or that which is established because it is right, from that which is right only because it is established; that he may neither violate essential principles by a desire of novelty, nor debar himself from the attainment of beauties within his view, by a needless fear of breaking rules which no literary dictator had authority to enact.

Writing, Views, Desire

Samuel Johnson, Peter Martin (2009). “Samuel Johnson: Selected Writings”, p.197, Harvard University Press

All envy is proportionate to desire.

Envy, Desire

Samuel Johnson (1827). “The Rambler”, p.117

I look upon this as I did upon the Dictionary: it is all work, and my inducement to it is not love or desire of fame, but the want of money, which is the only motive to writing that I know of.

Writing, Desire, Want

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.369

Where necessity ends, desire and curiosity begin; and no sooner are we supplied with everything nature can demand than we sit down to contrive artificial appetites.

Curiosity, Desire, Demand

Every desire is a viper in the bosom, who while he was chill was harmless; but when warmth gave him strength, exerted it in poison.

Desire, Poison, Vipers

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.416

The desires of man increase with his acquisitions.

Men, Desire, Acquisition

Samuel Johnson (1851). “The beauties of Johnson: choice selections from his works”, p.55

To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition, the end to which every enterprise and labor tends, and of which every desire prompts the prosecution.

Ambition, Home, Desire

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.112

Some desire is necessary to keep life in motion, and he whose real wants are supplied must admit those of fancy.

Real, Desire, Want

Samuel Johnson, Abraham Raimbach, Robert Smirke (1819). “Rasselas”, p.30

I have already enjoyed too much; give me something to desire.

Giving, Desire, Too Much

Samuel Johnson (1977). “Selected Poetry and Prose”, p.78, Univ of California Press

Knowledge always desires increase, it is like fire, which must first be kindled by some external agent, but which will afterwards propagate itself.

Knowledge, Fire, Desire

Samuel Johnson, James Boswell (1807). “Dr. Johnson's table-talk: aphorisms [&c.] selected and arranged from mr. Boswell's life of Johnson”, p.105

Our desires always increase with our possessions. The knowledge that something remains yet unenjoyed impairs our enjoyment of the good before us.

Inspirational, Self Improvement, Desire

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1811). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, L. L. D.: In Twelve Volumes”, p.163

All envy is proportionate to desire; we are uneasy at the attainments of another, according as we think our own happiness would be advanced by the addition of that which he withholds from us.

Thinking, Envy, Desire

Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”, p.31

It is not the desire of new acquisitions, but the glory of conquests, that fires the soldier's breast; as indeed the town is seldom worth much, when it has suffered the devastations of a siege.

Fire, Soldier, Desire

Samuel Johnson (1825). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.”, p.3

Just praise is only a debt, but flattery is a present. The acknowledgment of those virtues on which conscience congratulates us is a tribute that we can at any tine exact with confidence; but the celebration of those which we only feign, or desire without any vigorous endeavours to attain them, is received as a confession of sovereignty over regions never conquered, as a favourable decision of disputable claims, and is more welcome as more gratuitous.

Decision, Desire, Debt

Samuel Johnson (1793). “The rambler”, p.294

Whoever desires, for his writings or himself, what none can reasonably contemn, the favour of mankind, must add grace to strength, and make his thoughts agreeable as well as useful. Many complain of neglect who never tried to attract regard.

Writing, Grace, Desire

Samuel Johnson (1784). “The Rambler: In Four Volumes..”, p.49

An Italian philosopher said that "time was his estate"; an estate indeed which will produce nothing without cultivation, but will always abundantly repay the labors of industry, and generally satisfy the most extensive desires, if no part of it be suffered to lie in waste by negligence, to be overrun with noxious plants, or laid out for show rather than for use.

Lying, Italian, Desire

When the desire of wealth is taking hold of the heart, let us look round and see how it operates upon than whose industry or fortune has obtained it. When we find them oppressed with their own abundance, luxurious without pleasure, idle without ease, impatient and querulous in themselves, and despised or hated by the rest of mankind, we shall soon be convinced that if the real wants of our condition are satisfied, there remains little to be sought with solicitude or desired with eagerness.

Real, Heart, Desire

Let him that desires to see others happy, make haste to give while his gift can be enjoyed, and remember that every moment of delay takes away something from the value of his benefaction.

Giving, Desire, Haste

Samuel Johnson (1810). “The works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With An essay on his life and genius”, p.174

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