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Samuel Johnson Quotes about Evil

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Ignorance, when it is voluntary, is criminal; and he may be properly charged with evil who refused to learn how he might prevent it.

Ignorance, when it is voluntary, is criminal; and he may be properly charged with evil who refused to learn how he might prevent it.

Ignorance, Evil, Criminals

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1825). “The Works of Samuel Johnson”, p.264

Power is gradually stealing away from the many to the few, because the few are more vigilant and consistent.

Evil, Stealing, Consistent

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1825). “The works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: with Murphy's essay”, p.17

The misery of man proceeds not from any single crush of overwhelming evil, but from small vexations continually repeated.

Crush, Men, Evil

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.181

Many of our miseries are merely comparative: we are often made unhappy, not by the presence of any real evil, but by the absence of some fictitious good; of something which is not required by any real want of nature, which has not in itself any power of gratification, and which neither reason nor fancy would have prompted us to wish, did we not see it in the possession of others.

Real, Evil, Wish

Samuel Johnson (1836). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.: D., with an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.342

Wine gives great pleasure; and every pleasure is of itself a good. It is a good, unless counterbalanced by evil.

Wine, Evil, Giving

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1866). “The Life of Samuel Johnson”, p.220

All the arguments which are brought to represent poverty as no evil show it evidently to be a great evil.

Evil, Poverty, Argument

In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 1, p. 441 (20July 1763)

Combinations of wickedness would overwhelm the world, by the advantage which licentious principles afford, did not those who have long practised perfidy grow faithless to each other.

Long, Evil, Principles

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.315

Fear is implanted in us as a preservative from evil but its duty, like that of other passions, is not to overbear reason, but to assist it. It should not be suffered to tyrannize in the imagination, to raise phantoms of horror, or to beset life with supernumerary distresses.

Passion, Evil, Imagination

Samuel Johnson (1761). “The Rambler: In Four Volumes”, p.113

Wickedness is always easier than virtue; for it takes the short cut to everything.

Cutting, Evil, Wickedness

Dr. Samuel Johnson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Samuel Johnson (Illustrated)”, p.7965, Delphi Classics

To prevent evil is the great end of government, the end for which vigilance and severity are properly employed.

Government, Evil, Ends

Samuel Johnson (1827). “The Rambler”, p.48

There are indeed, in the present corruption of mankind, many incitements to forsake truth: the need of palliating our own faults and the convenience of imposing on the ignorance or credulity of others so frequently occur; so many immediate evils are

Ignorance, Evil, Needs

Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”, p.166

The worst evils are those that never arrive.

Evil, Worst

Fear is implanted in us as a preservative from evil.

Fear, Evil

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1801). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.”, p.353

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

As the greatest liar tells more truths than falsehoods, so may it be said of the worst man, that he does more good than evil.

Liars, Men, Evil

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1859). “The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: Including a Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”, p.147

No evil is insupportable but that which is accompanied with consciousness of wrong.

Evil, Consciousness

Samuel Johnson (1977). “Selected Poetry and Prose”, p.126, Univ of California Press

Still we love The evil we do, until we suffer it.

Evil, Suffering, Stills

Samuel Johnson (1810). “The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper”, p.530

The good of our present state is merely comparative, and the evil which every man feels will be sufficient to disturb and harass him if he does not know how much he escapes.

Men, Evil, Doe

Samuel Johnson (1827). “The Rambler”, p.244

In all evils which admit a remedy, impatience is to be avoided, because it wastes that time and attention in complaints, that, if properly applied might remove the cause.

Patience, Evil, Might

"The Rambler".

Evil is uncertain in the same degree as good, and for the reason that we ought not to hope too securely, we ought not to fear with to much dejection.

Evil, Degrees, Wickedness

Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”, p.53

Almost all the moral good which is left among us is the apparent effect of physical evil.

Evil, Wickedness, Moral

Samuel Johnson, William Page (1860). “Life and Writings”, p.321

Those who are in the power of evil habits must conquer them as they can; and conquered they must be, or neither wisdom nor happiness can be attained: but those who are not yet subject to their influence may, by timely caution, preserve their freedom.

Evil, May, Influence

Samuel Johnson (1848). “The Wisdom of the Rambler, Adventurer, and Idler”, p.140

Our minds should not be empty because if they are not preoccupied by good, evil will break in upon them.

Evil, Mind, Empty

Misery is caused for the most part, not by a heavy crush of disaster, but by the corrosion of less visible evils, which canker enjoyment, and undermine security. The visit of an invader is necessarily rare, but domestic animosities allow no cessation.

Crush, Evil, Misery

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1811). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, L. L. D.: In Twelve Volumes”, p.291

Men are most powerfully affected by those evils which themselves feel, or which appear before their own eyes.

Eye, Men, Evil

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1857). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.124

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