Samuel Johnson Quotes about Truth

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In order that all men might be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it.

In order that all men might be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it.

Samuel Johnson

Wisdom, Truth, Learning

Samuel Johnson (1782). “The Beauties of Johnson: Consisting of Maxims and Observations, Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous, Accurately Extracted from the Works of Dr. Samuel Johnson, and Arranged in Alphabetical Order, After the Manner of the Duke de la Roche-Foucault's Maxims”, p.69

The future is purchased by the present.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Future

Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1809). “The Rambler”, p.94

Truth allows no choice.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Choices

Samuel Johnson (1804). “The Lives of the Poets, Etc. [With a Portrait.]”, p.85

Among the calamities of war may be numbered the diminution of the love of truth, by the falsehoods which interest dictates, and credulity encourages.

Samuel Johnson

Love, Courage, Truth

The Idler no. 30 (11 Nov. 1758)

Truth has no gradations; nothing which admits of increase can be so much what it is, as truth is truth. There may be a strange thing, and a thing more strange. But if a proposition be true, there can be none more true.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, May, Strange

Samuel Johnson (1833). “The Life of Johnson: with Maxims and Observations: Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous, Accurately Selected from the Works of Dr. Samuel Johnson, and Arranged in Alphabetical Order”, p.269

Truth, Sir, is a cow which will yield such people no more milk, and so they are gone to milk the bull.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Yield, People

1763 Of sceptics. Remark, 21 Jul. Quoted in James Boswell The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), vol.1.

It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentionally lying that there is so much falsehood in the world.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Lying, World

Samuel Johnson, James Boswell (1807). “Dr. Johnson's table-talk: aphorisms [&c.] selected and arranged from mr. Boswell's life of Johnson”, p.67

A man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Honesty, Men

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1786). “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.409

I deny the lawfulness of telling a lie to a sick man for fear of alarming him; you have no business with consequences, you are to tell the truth.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Lying, Men

Samuel Johnson, James Boswell (1818). “The table talk of Samuel Johnson”, p.100

The excellence of aphorisms consists not so much in the expression of some rare or abstruse sentiment, as in the comprehension of some useful truth in a few words.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Expression, Excellence

Samuel Johnson (1761). “The Rambler: In Four Volumes”, p.76

Liberty is the parent of truth, but truth and decency are sometimes at variance. All men and all propositions are to be treated here as they deserve, and there are many who have no claim either to respect or decency.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Men, Parent

Samuel Johnson (1787). “The works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: In thirteen volumes. ...”, p.268

Truth, such as is necessary to the reputation of life, is always found where it is honestly sought.

Samuel Johnson

Truth, Reputation, Life Is

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