Samuel Johnson Quotes about Education

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Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.

Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.

Samuel Johnson

Education, Curiosity, Genius

The Rambler, No. 103, March 12, 1751.

Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.

Samuel Johnson

Education, Honesty, Integrity

'Rasselas' (1759) ch. 41

Praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value only to its scarcity.

Samuel Johnson

Inspirational, Education, Appreciation

Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”, p.235

It is no matter what you teach them first, any more than what leg you shall put into your breeches first. You may stand disputing which is best to put in first, but in the mean time your breech is bare. Sir, while you are considering which of two things you should teach your child first, another boy has learned them both.

Samuel Johnson

Education, Children, Mean

Samuel Johnson (1807). “Dr. Johnson's Table-talk: Containing Aphorisms on Literature, Life, and Manners, with Anecdotes of Distinguished Persons, Selected and Arranged from Mr. Boswell's Life of Johnson”, p.59

The supreme end of education is expert discernment in all things-the power to tell the good from the bad, the genuine from the counterfeit, and to prefer the good and the genuine to the bad and the counterfeit.

Samuel Johnson

Graduation, Education, Teaching

A man ought to read just as inclination leads him, for what he reads as a task will do him little good.

Samuel Johnson

Education, Reading, Men

Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (entry for 14 July 1763)

I am always for getting a boy forward in his learning, for that is sure good. I would let him at first read any English book which happens to engage his attention; because you have done a great deal when you have brought him to have entertainment from a book. He'll get better books afterwards.

Samuel Johnson

Education, Book, Boys

Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) (entry for 16 Apr. 1779)

It is wonderful what a difference learning makes upon people even in the common intercourse of life, which does not appear to be much connected with it.

Samuel Johnson

Education, Differences, People

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.530

He that teaches us anything which we knew not before is undoubtedly to be reverenced as a master.

Samuel Johnson

Inspirational, Education, Teacher

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.9

When first the college rolls receive his name, The young enthusiast quilts his ease for fame; Through all his veins the fever of renown Burns from the strong contagion of the gown

Samuel Johnson

Education, Strong, Quilts

Samuel Johnson, “The Vanity Of Human Wishes”

Among the innumerable mortifications which waylay human arrogance on every side may well be reckoned our ignorance of the most common objects and effects, a defect of which we become more sensible by every attempt to supply it. Vulgar and inactive minds confound familiarity with knowledge and conceive themselves informed of the whole nature of things when they are shown their form or told their use; but the speculatist, who is not content with superficial views, harasses himself with fruitless curiosity, and still, as he inquires more, perceives only that he knows less.

Samuel Johnson

Education, Peace, Truth