Every man has a lurking wish to appear considerable in his native place. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The dependant who cultivates delicacy in himself very little consults his own tranquillity. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Those writers who lie on the watch for novelty can have little hope of greatness; for great things cannot have escaped former… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Irresolution and mutability are often the faults of men whose views are wide, and whose imagination is vigorous and excursive. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The superiority of some men is merely local. They are great because their associates are little. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There is nothing more fatal to a man whose business is to think than to have learned the art of regaling his… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
As all error is meanness, it is incumbent on every man who consults his own dignity, to retract it as soon as… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Most men are more willing to indulge in easy vices than to practise laborious virtues. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
As a man advances in life he gets what is better than admiration -judgement to estimate things at their own value. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There lurks, perhaps, in every human heart a desire of distinction, which inclines every man first to hope, and then to believe,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Scarce any man becomes eminently disagreeable but by a departure from his real character, and an attempt at something for which nature… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Every man is prompted by the love of himself to imagine that he possesses some qualities superior, either in kind or degree,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Men who stand in the highest ranks of society seldom hear of their faults; if by any accident an opprobrious clamour reaches… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Every man is prompted by the love of himself to imagine that he possesses some qualities, superior, either in kind or degree,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Locke, whom there is no reason to suspect of being a favorer of idleness or libertinism, has advanced that whoever hopes to… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Men, however distinguished by external accidents or intrinsick qualities, have all the same wants, the same pains, and, as far as the… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
No man is without some quality, by the due application of which he might deserve well of the world; and whoever he… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is not possible to be regarded with tenderness, except by a few. That merit which gives greatness and renown diffuses its… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
That eminence of learning is not to be gained without labour, at least equal to that which any other kind of greatness… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The business of the biographer is often to pass slightly over those performances and incidents which produce vulgar greatness, to lead the… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Every man is prompted by the love of himself to imagine that he possesses some qualities, superior, either in kind or degree,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A man who has not been in Italy, is always conscious of an inferiority. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
His scorn of the great is repeated too often to be real; no man thinks much of that which he despises. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Few men survey themselves with so much severity as not to admit prejudices in their own favor. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess, and to gain applause… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is to be steadily inculcated, that virtue is the highest proof of understanding, and the only solid basis of greatness. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Most men think indistinctly, and therefore cannot speak with exactness . . . — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is generally agreed, that few men are made better by affluence or exaltation. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
